Last week, as I was coming home from another long day of law school, I saw dozens of emergency vehicles parked in the empty lot near my house. An elderly man with Alzheimers who lived nearby had wandered off and was lost. The community had gathered to help search. It was a chilly night, I had homework to do, and I was tired.
It was at that point, I realized there are things more important than law school. It might not feel like it in the day to day business of being a student, but there are. Bigger than the cases we brief and the deadlines we face. I’m talking about the relationships and actions that define us.
It feels like standard operating procedure when coming to law school to remove all other distractions and focus solely on making it through these three years still standing. We hit pause on the other parts of our lives and expect them to be there when we return. This puts strain on our friends, our faith, our families. Life will not wait up for our convenience.
So what can we do? Be purposeful with your time. Identify those pieces of your life that are worth fighting for. I’ve always said that the favorite pastime of law students is complaining about how busy they are, but you will always manage to find time for the things that you care about. Even in the seemingly endless cycle of studying, sleeping, and decompressing on the weekends, the time is there. Don’t neglect the things that matter in the long run.
I went out with the search parties the next three nights. My mom has Alzheimers and this situation hit me too close to home. I was tired in class all week, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t do everything I could to help. I’m sad to say that the old man did not make it and I think it was the sudden finality of the ordeal that taught me this lesson: Cling to what is good in your life. Don’t let it go. Law school may seem like it is your life right now, but it is not your whole life. Keep the big picture in perspective and don’t lose sight of the reasons you came here in the first place.
AL
