Never mind that I had less than five hours of sleep the night before. Forget the fact that there is a stack of job reqs on my desk to tackle.

For a few brief moments, the cares of the world faded away and my heart felt as though it could burst from a rapid overflow of happiness. 

I read and re-read the article (I didn't need to, I had already memorised every word I crafted), traced my hands on the byline, feeling its tangibility... all to remind myself that this wasn't a dream.

I closed my eyes and stood still for a little longer than I should. When I opened my eyes and gazed ahead, the horizon is resplendent.

The day I got my own byline was the day I was thankful for the long and difficult journey that has led me here.

P/S: My first published article can be found *here*.