The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

I have always been a fan of these lines beautifully written by Robert Frost. It struck a chord when I read the poem Stopping by Woods for the first time. These lines very much, over a period of time, have become a part and parcel of my life.

It is a Friday night, perhaps an odd time to reflect upon the days gone by. However, it occurred to me that I, as a professional, have certainly picked up a few yards on the play. This simple thought triggered a chain reaction of some sort in my mind. Did I foresee myself to be where I am now? Where will I be a few years from now? Is there an ultimate goal?

I do not, as yet, have decades of professional experience. I started my career as recently as 2010. In these six years (almost !), things have certainly improved from my perspective. As a professional, I have learnt a thing or two about my trade. I am now familiar with many more technologies. I have worked with some smart and wonderful colleagues. I made mistakes and learnt to never repeat any of them. Over the years, I have performed reasonably well and have impressed a few (at times!);  collected some trophies and received a number of certificates. Now I do have a few LinkedIn recommendations to showcase. And yes, I earn a good few times more than what I used to when it all started. Sounds cool! 

As I stand today, thinking out loud about my journey so far, I feel that I have done OK, if not great. However, this is just the initial phase of the journey. There is so much more I yearn to learn, to do and to accomplish. In the times, when our world is witnessing something new and incredible every single day, I want to be active, to take on responsibility and to work for the things I believe in. There, indeed, is a lot to do and miles to go!