A new chapter

Today was one of those days that just makes me think. Think about how far I have come, and how very far I need to go.
I was put in charge of the newest hire in business news. My boss had asked that I train him, and I can't deny how surprised I was. As much as I've learned at the AP, I still feel altogether like an infant sometimes. There is always someone doing something better, bigger, etc. It's hard on the ego sometimes. Other times, it's the only thing that motivates me.
But through the doubts I have in myself, it was great to get a vote of confidence like this. Especially when this particular guy seems like an expert before he walked in the door. The briefing on him reads like a bio of someone who is 40 years old, and very accomplished at that.
When he walks in this morning, he is a lot less daunting than the picture I have built in my head. He's funny, enthusiastic....and terrified. His hand shake on the keyboard and strike the wrong keys. Lots of cursing as he makes simple errors, lots of 'I'm sorrys' for all the cursing, lots of 'I'm sorrys' for all the 'I'm sorrys.'
Our small talk reveals that he is incredibly smart and incredibly well-versed in the companies he will cover at AP.
But his nervousness makes me have flash backs to my own first days.
It made me feel like I wasn't alone in being terrified.
About 11 o'clock as I show him a computer program, he says "This may be a stupid question, but does this feel incredibly overwhelming to everyone or is it just me?"
"It's everybody," I say. "Really, everybody."