I’m a bit behind and am posting this from Montgomery, Alabama. More on that soon.
Monday night I met up at a bar on the north side of Chicago with two friends that reinforce some very important ideas.

In some ways, my social circle is growing smaller- having less time to spend with people has forced me to consider who it is that is most imperative that I spend that time with, and I’ve started to notice a trend in why I chose to spend my time with the people I do.

I spend my time with the people that hold themselves to some account of how they spend their time. They hold me to account for how I spend mine. They are passionate, dedicated, enthusiastic, positive, and engaged. They know what they are doing, and aren’t afraid to chase it all the way. They have a fire in their belly that is familiar to me, and that I esteem above most other traits.

Matt is going to fix healthcare in the United States. From the clarity with which he explains himself and the depth of his experience, I believe him.

Hattie is going to fix our kids relationship with God, whatever they may conceive him to be. From the smile on her face, and the passion in her eyes, I believe her.

And then Matt put the question to me, what are you really going to do with your life Skander? His goal is big and audacious, and he won’t achieve it alone, but I believe it’s possible. I’ve been trying to figure that out all summer- after our conversation, I’m finally able to describe it:

I am going to change the way humanity interacts with natural resources.

I consider myself incredibly lucky to have friends that continue to force me to sharpen the edge of my razor, and that these friendships continue to grow through shared motivations, despite the geographic distance between us. It’s important times here in Chicago.