On Legacies

Hi friends,

It’s an RDO Friday, so I’ve got some reflections for y’all. Stay for regular updates at the end.

We’re in 2025’s final months; a “red zone” of sorts. I’ve approached the end of the last two years by using November as the reflective month and then starting my “New Years’ habits” in December as a way of gaining momentum going into the new year. This eases any anxiety and pressure I might feel related to starting resolutions. This year is a bit different only because the biggest thing in my life (in case you haven’t heard from me a million times already) is training for my Tokyo Marathon. This goes through the new year into March so a lot of my habits are/should be pretty set. But it’s still a good time to take stock and reflect. One thing I’ve been thinking about recently is the idea of impact and legacy.

As I get older, I think about how my career is shaping and what positions will enable me to have the kind of impact I think will satisfy me and make a difference in the world. The gap between me and people who are making a difference feels smaller now. Zohran Mamdani is only 34 years old, barely seven years older than me. He first ran for election in the state assembly at 28 and won at 30. Others have written books or leading impactful organizations. I’m not comparing myself to them in a negative way, rather just giving myself perspective because these are all things I would like to do one day.

Okay, I’ve set this up from a career perspective but what I really want to talk about is a bit more personal and meaningful: the personal relationships I’ve developed. This fall, two younger students I befriended at Hopkins (in my junior and senior years) reached out to me because they were in Los Angeles. I originally met them through the bible study I cofounded for Black students through Intervarsity. I am such a sucker for nostalgia; I reflect on how cool and coincidental that an organization I joined (Intervarsity), allowed me to start a bible study and community that still exists today (crazy), created the opportunity for me to meet these students (my friends now). Now, five years past my graduation and they’ve graduated themselves and are onto med school (one of them is actually in their final year!). Despite all that time, they chose to reach our to me when they were in LA.

I often wonder what my relationships mean to the other party (like to you reading this). To know that someone values your presence or shared experiences enough to reach out means a lot to me.

Maybe you’re thinking “well duh this is how friendships work” I suppose that’s true. Basically its just nice to be thought about. On impact and legacy, it makes me happy to know that my presence meant something to someone. If that’s the extent of my legacy, then I’d be fulfilled. Likewise, I think it’s important I share what others mean to me. For everyone who’s subscribed to this from every season in my life, I see your name and I know you mean something to me.

Okay, that it is. The rest is just life updates.

I’m currently in the build phase of my training plan. I’ve been managing achilles tendinitis and a mild hip flexor strain. Honestly, it’s not been fun becasue I spend all my time thinking about how I’m feeling and what it’ll take to be pain-free.

I’ve been running at a light and easy pace and I’ve been stretching and strengthening basically all the time. I had a PT appointment for my hips and basically I have so many muscle imbalances. Poor ankle dorsiflexion, tight hips, and relatively weak glutes. It’s funny because I do a lot of gym work but I’m realizing that my normal gym routine is not running specific enough.

In the perfect world, I’d take more time to address each of these but I’m already signed up for Tokyo and unless I somehow get pregnant I won’t be able to defer it.

So I’m adjusting my mentality to prepare my body to just finish the race healthy. I previously had time goals (sub-4hrs) but I don’t to add any more pressure and thereby feel bad whenever I need to slow things down. I want to enjoy this whole experience. Okay that’s enough for marathon training.

• Last: Not “A Nation of Immigrants” x Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. Wow.

• Now: A Clash of Kings (Game of Thrones #2). Curious about Vareys.

• Next: The Jarkata Method x Vincent Bevins and War Against All Puerto Ricans x Nelson A Denis. Also in need of recs so please send books (preferably fiction).

In one of my December posts, I’ll share my favorite books from this year.

Okay, thanks for reading! And if you’re reading this from IG and are not subscribed, go ahead!