Final Thoughts (and future thoughts)

Hi everyone!

Though I'm no longer a candidate for the Australia job, I'm still pursuing adventure and the best job, wherever it happens to be. To those who followed the blog, thanks for your interest and support! If I decide to revamp this one or start another, I'll be sure to let you know. For now, here are my final thoughts on the Australia campaign and a few on life in general. 

Opportunities come, and opportunities go. 

They always have, and they always will.

In November I was offered a position on the board of directors for some local radio stations. It was a unique chance to work alongside some impressive, accomplished men and women, but deep down I knew it wasn't the right fit or the right timing. So I turned it down.

6 weeks later I came across the "Best Job in the World" campaign and was immediately enamored. I knew I was a good fit for it and, more importantly, that I could present myself in the right way to get selected. And I was right! Well, at least for a little while. The point is, if I'd taken the board position last fall, I wouldn't have had the freedom to even consider the Australia job. That's the way life works. Every opportunity, no matter how good, carries an opportunity cost. And when one door closes, another always opens. 

I'm not sure what the next 7 months of my life will entail or what new "open doors" I will discover. But already I've got a trip planned to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro at the beginning of July in support of Young Life Africa, and I'm hoping to visit the Mediterranean with my family later this summer as well. Those are things that never would have been possible had I been Island Caretaking, and I can't wait to see what else is in store. Plus, I've got a good job in a tough economy, and there's plenty to be thankful for.  God is good. Always has been and always will be. 

I extend my thanks to Tourism Queensland for coming up with the brilliant idea and for letting me be a part of it for so long. I now wish the final 16 all the best as they fly out this weekend for interviews and adventure on Hamilton Island. The ones I've gotten to know are fantastic people, and I hope they enjoy every minute of the trip. 

That's all for now. We'll see what happens in the future. 

Kind regards from Texas,

Steven

Me as a baby in Benin, Africa (where the world travels began)