Constitutional boot camp: Day Twenty

Except for dinner and a closing breakfast, my National Academy experience is over. Finished. Complete. It ended with a short concluding lecture, which I had trouble focusing on, and a series of small group panel presentations.

My group chose to write a new creedal affirmation for the United States. I was pretty proud of our work - not only the content, but the way in which we completed it. In fact, in the midst of polishing our paper last night I bounced a little on the couch and said, "My inner geek is pretty excited." Of course, one of my group members replied with, "Yeah, we can really tell" (clearly he missed the bounce). The paper is pretty great, if I do say so myself, and the presentation went very well. Our professor and the preceptors (like TAs) applauded us for radically redefining citizenship and for creating an affirmation that allows any member of the community to identify themselves within. We got some pretty solid feedback, which made me proud. I have struggled these three weeks with the thought that I do not actively participate. I don't ask many questions and I don't share my ideas unless they have not already been explained by someone else and I wondered if I was coming across in the wrong light. I was glad for this opportunity to participate more actively without having to pretend to be someone I am not.

I was walking away from the presentation - back to my seat - feeling pretty proud of myself when our professor made eye contact with me. Let me preface this by saying while I didn't always agree with him, I think our professor is one of the most intelligent, thoughtful people I have ever known. Anyway, as I walked past him he reaches up and stops me (he was sitting at the "judges" table) and says something like, "Really good distinction you made during the question and answer period. Very clear and direct. You have a very sharp analysis of complex ideas. Nice work." I think I floated back to my seat. Seriously.

I'm a huge geek. I understand this.

So, the class was amazing. The whole experience was amazing. I'm not sure I could even find the words to describe what it has meant for me to be here. Right now, though, I am focused on getting through dinner, the night (I could barely sleep at all last night) and tomorrow. Just think, after twenty-five days away, I will be home in twenty-seven hours. That is a pretty wonderful feeling.