Connected

This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend Agriculture Future of America Leaders Conference in my final year of eligibility. For those of you unaware, AFA is a professional development organization serving outstanding college men and women pursuing degrees in the agricultural field. Throughout the weekend I met and interacted with numerous people, from CEOs of the top agricultural companies to collegiate peers just starting out in the journey called life after college. However, it didn't really hit me until this morning just what this experience meant to me.

Throughout the day today I have been receiving various emails, tweets, LinkedIn Connections and friend requests from people I met. Despite the fact that we are all miles apart, we still seek a way to stay connected. It's quite amazing the network that I have built along with my fellow agricultural professionals.

I will confess, I have no idea where this image comes from. I found it in a simple Google Image search and I thought it summed up this idea of being connected quite well. You see, it doesn't matter where life takes us, what matters is the fact that we continue to keep these connections alive. This connection is our life-blood. Without it, we would be lost, confused, out on our own in what can be an unforgiving professional world. Will you be connected? Don't let yourself sit out there alone. Find people. Make friendships. Who knows, years down the road, these connections might just save your life.