Well, we're done.

It's a very weird feeling graduating with a Ph.D. I feel happy and sad and excited and many other emotions like I expected. What I didn't expect was my feeling "done". My time here is complete. It's time to do the next thing. No prior graduation ever felt like the end. This one does. And I must say, it is a unique experience. I can't really describe how I feel except to say that I am content. I think contentment is an overused and under-appreciated state. During school I was never really content with where I was at the time. There was always something more. When choosing a major, there was always the next step to consider. Once a major was selected, an appropriate end-point needed to be chosen (bachelors, masters, Ph.D.). During my time in classes, there was always research on which to work. After classes, life became a gauntlet of experimentation, labor, conferences, reading (yes, I know - even I had to read), and writing. Throughout this experience, I never allowed myself to be content with the current state of my career. Don't read this to mean I was not content in anything. Several aspects of my life are far better than I could have hoped for thanks to God's love and provision for us. But with regard to my career I was not fully satisfied, even this past week after I officially received "Final Clearance" status. I was very happy. I was relieved to some extent that the requirements were met. But the finality of all did not sink in until now. I'm done. I have no more responsibilities at UF. Everything is finished. Much like Christ's finished work on the cross (though my experience is only a taste compared to the feast that is His).