I got my acceptance letter to law school a week before I turned forty.  I remember smiling so hard all that day that my face literally hurt!  This was a sea change for me, since I'd been a professional journalist since before I graduated from college the first time.  But even then I was torn in two directions.  I recall sitting in some civic meeting in my early twenties, taking notes about something for a newspaper article, and thinking "this isn't enough."  I wanted to do something more than sit by the sidelines and report on what other people and organizations were doing.

I actually applied to law school back then...but it was late in the game and the class was already full.  I took a job at the biggest paper in the state shortly after and never looked back.  Until fifteen years later, when an old friend put a bug in my ear about law school again.  Goes to show you  the power of a positive word and a little encouragement.  One of my dearest beliefs is that if you have something good to say to someone, say it sooner rather than later, because you never know where that encouragement will take them.

In my case, it took me back to school, and to a public service career in law.  Though the funniest thing about it is, I never knew just how much I was going to miss writing!  These days, with the essays I write for my website and the book I published last year (sequel coming soon!) I feel I've really got the best of both worlds.  It's a wonderful balance, and I feel truly blessed.

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