Turns out I had to put more thought into this one than I expected.
Even though I'm 32 and have done quite a bit, there are times when I still feel like a kid. Case in point, just over a month ago I had gone through a week of what seemed like non-stop disappointments regarding income, housing, and employment. It got to a point where I just broke down and felt incredibly small. Even now, as I'm looking for work again and considering some fairly big changes, insecurities are periodically coming to the surface. But that's why I felt the Joubert conference in Phoenix happened at just the right time. It gave me a massive confidence boost and made me feel like an adult!
Becoming a member of the Board seemed to play a big part in that. First off, I received so many compliments and congratulations because of it, even from people I had met before, but never really interacted with. I also feel the Board membership allowed for a more even playing-field when it came to interacting with the parents who attended.
Speaking of the parents, the conference's Dad's Night was another great adult moment. I'm not a Dad, but it was a fun night socializing with other guys who were my age or older, getting more compliments, listening to goofy stories, and even talking about comics!
Best of all for contributing to the adult vibe was the chance to socialize with other older adults with Joubert syndrome. I've met many adults with JS online and have interacted with several at past conferences, but this time felt different. Like I was with friends. It was a blast just hanging out and, despite several differences, I actually came to admire a few of them for what they're doing, or planning to do in the near future.
As I get back further into routines, daily grinds, and independence-searching, it's good to know I can look back on this year's conference, through memories, photos, or blog posts, and have something so positive to think about if and probably when those insecurities I mentioned start getting too bad.
Cheers!
*Yes, I know that's not a real word but, really, it kind of looks like it should be.
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