I have edited and am reposting this story for Momastery’s Messy, Beautiful Project. I’ll be linking this post there, too – http://momastery.com/carry-on-warrior.
“You’re so logical.”
“You argue your point really well.”
“You would be a great lawyer.”
And, with those encouraging words, I went to law school.
I don’t know if I ever really thought about why I wanted to be a lawyer. I just know that people close to me, who knew me well, would tell me I’d be good at it. That seemed reason enough. I trusted them. It never occurred to me not to be a lawyer.
So off I went to law school. Law school was interesting and challenging, but I kept waiting for that “A-HA!” moment. That moment when I thought, “YES! THAT is why I came to law school! Awesome!”
That moment never really happened.
I practiced law. I worked at a firm. I worked in-house at a company. I teach at a law school now. I’ve had more law-related career changes in 18 years than most people have in their whole lives. And yet, I still feel – in my heart of hearts – that law is really not the thing for me. It’s never been that I couldn’t do it, but rather that it just didn’t feel like, well, me.
Which brings me to the story part of this story. I think there are two stories of my life: the story that I was supposed to have and the story that I am currently writing.
In both stories, I have an amazing husband, fantastic children, caring family, wonderful dogs, a beautiful home, the works. Also, in both stories, I am a coffee addict and love ice cream.
But in the story that I was supposed to have, I follow the law career path that I set out on originally. I stick with law as my work. I slog through, realizing that this is what I started with and this is what I shall end with.
But in the story I am currently writing, the law figures not so prominently. I recognize that law is not all it’s cracked up to be for me, that I’m never going to have an “A-HA!” moment with law, and that I need something else. In this story, I use the other side of my brain – and I paint, I create, I write, I edit, I photograph, I build. I take chances. I do new things. I play with power tools.
And this is where I am with my story now. I am at that point. I even have the power tools.
No one has it all figured out. If they say they do, I’d bet dollars to doughnuts they are lying. Or they’re oblivious. Either way, where’s the fun in having it all figured out? Life’s story – MY life’s story – is about turning the pages each day and finding something new and exciting and creative to tackle. The story of my life is still being written, and not even I know how it is going to turn out.
What’s your story?
For more about me and my story, click HERE.
Dogs Don't Eat Pizza 
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