I remember my mind wandering while I was sitting at my law school commencement ceremony as some completely forgettable speaker droned on in the incredibly hot June sun. Through my fog I heard him say "... and for the next 40 years..." I snapped back to reality instantly. What?! The. Next. 40. Years. A sense of panic swept over me as I thought, "I can't possibly imagine doing this for that long!" I was only 25 at the time, and 40 years, well... that was the rest of my life, wasn't it?
So I did it for 15 years. I thought that since I spent 3 miserable years of my life in law school, I should give it a good run. But I kept searching for that "next" thing, and eventually I found it. Theatre/production/lighting had always been an interest of mine and I was active in some type of that since I was 12. And off I went! It was hard leaving the comfort (and the steady income) of a profession so many people think so much of, but it was the best jump I ever made. There have been some rocky times, but learning how to handle that first jump has made all the other ones since then easier.
I now find myself, at 49, in a perfect mix of both entertainment and law. Finally, all of the things that I'm passionate about are part of my daily life. I never wanted to leave this world someday saying, "Gee, I wish I would have _____." Every time I come across something new, I ask myself if it fits into that question.
I should also share that when I left the law firm I was with at the time, I had to call all of the opposing counsel on my cases and tell them that our case would be reassigned to another attorney in our firm. Every single lawyer I told, some of them the big partners and stalwarts of the legal community in my city, said they wished they could do what I was doing. But they had a family. Or they had a firm. Or some other reason. I was shocked that all of them said that. It helped ease my panic over my move at the time, but I still think of them, still doing the exact same thing, today.
Your life is always going to change. Please don't be afraid to change with it.
alan
[email protected]
pittsburgh, pennsylvania, usa