Last week, part three

I had the best week ever last week, and I’m writing this down because I don’t want to forget it.

I found myself sitting in a room with some pretty big names at a workshop last week in Wichita.

I grew up reading The Wichita Eagle. I knew when I was little that I wanted to be a newspaper reporter when I grew up. I looked up to the reporters at The Eagle, and I read their stories and their blogs.

I made some right decisions in my life, as it turns out. I was a newspaper reporter for 3.5 years after college, which was 11 years ago. I still freelance sometimes, and last week I was invited to a journalism workshop in Wichita.

In the blink of an eye, I went from being a lost college student wondering if I’d ever graduate to being in the same room as Pulitzer Prize nominated journalists.

I am not going to say that I am their equal, because I am not worthy of that distinction. I’m not even sure I’m worthy of being in the same building as them, but for one day, we all attended the same workshop and talked journalism.

I do not deserve to be sitting at that table, but I will damn sure try to keep up with them. 

When I mentioned that I interned in Oklahoma City, they knew some of the reporters I worked with. 

The world is a lot smaller than you think it is.

The imposter syndrome is real, guys. I don’t even know how this situation happened, but while it was happening, I made sure to look around at all of the knowledge and wisdom around me and appreciate the hell out of it.

Also, I know this is weird, but I’m going to say it anyway. I wish there was a way to capture all of their knowledge— suck it out of their head, if you will— and just let it live on forever and ever.

Amen.

These people are incredible. That day was the first day that I realized that I was sitting in the same room as my heroes. I will never forget it.