Change...

Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change - this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress.
~ Bruce Barton

This morning, I had a few plea negotiation conferences. I couldn't find the people I needed to talk with about some specific cases. I overheard one of the other attorneys talking about the same thing. I asked and he said, "It's November!" Oh, yeah...I forgot. The new crop of attorneys has just been licensed, and there are now a lot of new faces around the building.

This was the first year I didn't really stop to think about the people waiting to hear about bar results. The previous five or six, I've known many awaiting results, or just remember how I felt waiting for the posting. Talk about swirling rumors, uneasy sleep, and tension.

I remember getting a call from Bill, early on a Thursday evening. He told me word was that the results would be posted that night, around 8. I was at my grandma's house at the time, and decided right then and there that I would not be checking them until around ten. I didn't want to ruin my night if I hadn't passed, and figured I could still celebrate if the results were what I'd wanted.

Logging onto the site of the Texas Board of Law Examiners, I checked and double-checked the password and log-in information. Then the list is presented...I go directly to the Ms...apparently, I didn't think to use the "find" function, because I scrolled through the entire list of Ms. The first time through, I went too quickly...I didn't see my name! Oh no...then I went through again...wait, there it is...a wave of joy and relief. I had no idea how much tension I'd let build up around that moment until after I saw my name.

The first call I made was to my mom and dad. She was in the hospital at the time, and I remember hearing how happy they were for me in their voices.

So, for all the newly licensed attorneys in the state, congratulations. It's an experience I don't want to live through again, but it's an accomplishment I am very proud of...regardless of the stereotypes, jokes, and assumptions connected with the profession.