February Crossroads: Embracing Change and Moving Forward
February always seems unpredictable, and right now, there’s a lot of change swirling in my family’s life. My brother, who’s been working at Blue Hill in Tarrytown for almost three years, is now looking for a new role. After finishing at the University of Michigan, he started tearing through cuts of meat as a chef de partie, then made his way up to sous-chef of the seafood department. But now, he’s setting his sights on working in a three-star Michelin restaurant. With help from his boss, Dan Barber, he’s trying to narrow down his dream opportunities in France, Stockholm, Maine, and Canada.
As my brother pivots, my dad is taking on a new job for the first time in 25 years. A radiologist who’s been with the same practice for decades, he’s now learning new technology and systems at nearly 60 years old. He keeps saying it feels like being handed the controls of a race car—he’s just learning how to drive it. It’s his first job since college, and it’s both thrilling and daunting to see him start fresh.
As for me, my time as a chocolate brand ambassador has come to an end. After nearly two years of networking in healthcare and pharma PR, hundreds of calls, and detailed notes, I’m settling into the Berkshires for now, with plans to return to NYC around April or summer. Boxes upon boxes of things I’ve accumulated over three years. It’s hard to pack up my life and start anew. One item that I packed is a lucky cat, the maneki-neko, given to me by my cousin when he visited China as a child. It’s a hand-painted figurine from a remote fishing village. Its ear is damaged, and I fear it’s a moving curse—but maybe it’s just a reminder that sometimes to make progress, we have to let go of old good luck charms.
Now that I’m diving into pharma and healthcare, I’m trading in my chocolate for pills—well, metaphorically, at least. I’m hoping that the next big “pill” I pop will be landing the right opportunity in this space. For now, though, I’m still settling in, looking forward to a fresh start.
My dog, Roxy, jumps on the bed, watching the boxes pile up as we both reminisce about our time in the apartment. We sit by the window, gazing out at the white powdery snow. For now, I drink my daily coffee, enjoy my mom’s sourdough with eggs, soak in industry talks and books, and keep networking. I hope to return to the city and find work this summer, and maybe this change is exactly what I needed.
With the uncertainty swirling in my home, we’re all finding our way back into a rhythm. While I may be in the Berkshires now, I plan to head back to NYC in a few months. While I haven’t yet reached the adult life I envisioned—owning a home, financial stability, and a wife who makes me wonderful eggs for breakfast (because, you know, I’m not always the best husband)—I’m working toward it. I’m making the necessary changes now to get there in my 30s.
Though I may not have landed my ideal career yet, there is certainty in the success of the clinical trial I’ve been involved in for two years. Capricor Therapeutics is nearing FDA approval for a medication called Hope-2 that will improve upper arm strength and cardiac function in Duchenne patients. I know that the results are promising, and soon more patients will have access to a treatment that can improve their quality of life.
While my brother searches for his next chapter and my dad embraces change, I’m finding comfort in my own journey. My sister, still in college, has her own set of concerns: avoiding stats class, navigating campus life, and squeezing in moments of freedom. As Sam Cooke’s iconic song says, “A change is gonna come, oh yes it will.” Optimism, even in uncertain times, is key. And though the road is long, I know good things are on the horizon.
