I've been thinking recently... what would I do if money were no option. Assuming that all expenses were covered, how would I spend my waking moments? I figure that this is as decent a gauge as any to any the question of what job would be ideal.
After all, I want to make a difference and to enjoy what I do. Endless recreation would become tedious eventually, I suppose, as would simply indulging my whims. Instead, there would need to be a purpose to which I could commit myself - perhaps some social problem that needs to be addressed. This would at least allow one to commit to something larger than self.
These thoughts arise periodically throughout my life. After 5+ years of practicing law, the question remains, "why?" Sure, I'm making money and providing for my family, but there are countless other ways of doing so - most of which don't involve recording time in 6-minute increments and beating up on others, just to get money. In short, I suppose that I've come to the realization that I would not be in law but for the following reasons: (1) I am in law right now, (2) it provides a paycheck, (3) I need money to pay expenses. If I had another way to pay expenses, something that met my needs (not wants), then I would be fine doing that line of work and leaving law behind.
Ultimately, what we do reflects to some degree on who we are and what we value. Herein lies the problem for me at least. I value my role as a father and a husband more than I do that as an attorney. My job allows me to provide for my family, but should it not do more as well?
Hopefully I'll figure it out sometime soon, but for now I'm looking around and no longer enamored of working as a practicing attorney - at least, not where I have been for the past 5 years. Here is hoping that something comes along - whether it is working at a think tank, non-profit, or simply working for a local business that does not suing people. After all, it is a bit hard to enjoy the work of your hands when it involves beating up people for lenders and those who have money.
