I was fortunate to meet this beautiful and brilliant 18-year old Cornell student last week. Her grandmother asked if I would be so kind as to provide any advice I may have for entering the field of clinical nutrition. Today, I received an email from her with the following note:

"I had a great time hearing about your work, and I hope I can put your advice into practice. I feel like talking with you has put me ahead of where I would be otherwise. Thank you."

Thank you Laurel for allowing me to participate in your journey. I feel like talking with you confirms my mission in life - helping to make a difference in the world working with others.
<div>At age 15, Laurel received the "Youth Winner" award in the US Poet Laureate competition in the category of "The Natural World and Man's Separation from It."  A remarkable piece of work. How fortunate are those who will have a chance to be influenced by this amazing young woman. I certainly have been.</div>
<div></div>
<div></div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>"Opaque" by Laurel Moffat</strong></div>
<div></div>
<div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr">You pull the socks up
and the sleeves down
to cover your bruised knees
and scabby elbow.</div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr">Is it chilly in the growling car?Then you frown at the plastic flowers
like autumn leaves
shoved into the dirty white container
next to the gas pump;
an extension of the dusty asphalt.

Where have you been?

Did you collect your scrapes
while taking a hammer
to the pavement,
dicing the gray into ice cubes
that melt enough to let trees through?

I think not.

They're from that time you tripped
and fell into the black glass street
while running in the warm dark
where the leaves couldn't see you.

You're hiding from them again,
behind the car door.

Behind the bulletproof glass.

Where are you going?

Maybe today it'll be the zoo,
where wild things
hide in glass, too.

I know you won't break it,
break out.

You only seem to know
how to break yourself.

</div>
&nbsp;

</div>
<div></div>
<div><strong> </strong></div>