70 Year Old Grandmother Graduates Law School

Some risks are worth taking.

Posted from Dahab, Egypt.

I want to throw a shout of congratulations from the Sinai peninsula in Egypt to the 70 year old grandmother who just graduated from law school.

The 70-year-old grandmother with three grown children is venturing into a new chapter in her life when most people are contemplating a rocking chair.

But, that isn’t Sandra Wilson.

“I love the law,” said Wilson, whose family are the proprietors of Wilson Funeral Home in Panama City.

Source: http://www.newsherald.com/news/70-year-old-graduates-law-school-1.156696

The grandmother was a graduate of Faulkner University School of Law, in May.  According to the article, she did not go to law school for the money, instead she wants to help children.  Folks, this is why a person should consider law school -- if you think you are going to get rich, you may be disappointed.

Wilson is taking the bar exam this summer and hopes to find a job.  I am sure she will.  In fact, if I had a firm of my own, I'd hire her.  And why not?  Talk about showing initiative!  I think that it's amazing that a person will go for their dreams, no matter what point they are in their life.

Am I too old for law school?

For the naysayers, why not go to law school at the age of 70 or beyond?  Many people don't go for their dreams because of a variety of 'what if' reasons and lay there on their death bed regretting it.  Life is too short to always sit back and not take risks.  Law school may be riskier now than it was 10 years ago (the jury is still out on that though), but that does not mean that a person who dreams of a legal career, even at 50, 60 or beyond should not go.

Again, although I am sitting on the Red Sea coast in Dahab, Egypt, I could not miss the chance to give Sandra Wilson, J.D. a shout of congratulations for her accomplishment!  Way to go Sandra!  May the future shine bright for you and all the graduates of the class of 2013!

Law school graduation's a comin' (class of 2013)

Graduation has long been a proud time for every person and every family.  College graduation has always been a big shindiggle in which families would get together one one would feel 'mighty proud' about their accomplishments.  Graduation is a milestone.  A time to look back at the challenges one has endured and see that they got past those challenges.  Graduation.  Mine will happen in 2013.  I imagine a big auditorium.  Perhaps something grand.  I picture hundreds of people all dressed in purple and black robes walking down and picking up their diplomas.  I picture it hot.  We're all sweaty and excited.  The room smells of perfume and dripping deodorant.  There is the dean, sitting up in front with a few of the distinguished professors to his side.  The audience is loud but is not quieting down.  I would be shaking now, if I had went. 

Instead I am at home.  Law school is done.  I will probably not go for an LLM.  OK, I obviously will not go for an LLM.  Instead, I will be trying to ignore everyone who may be 'congratulating' me.  Some may not (my mother, for instance, forgot I was going to law school).  That's fine.  I would rather have it that way.  If my whole family forgot that would be interesting.  I never invited anyone to my undergraduate graduation, nor did I go to that.  I am sure many will be upset that I am not going to my law school graduation.  That's fine.  Some things in life require a person being upset over.  Life is not all candy canes and marshmallows.  They will just have to be upset.

That being said, I am not looking forward to my graduation.  It is no longer a time to celebrate.  What should I be celebrating?  A lack of jobs?  Having to find something in which I can earn money?  The loans that I have to now pay back?  Instead, I am considering looking for jobs elsewhere.  The military may still take me.  If not, there's plenty of work overseas.  I could maybe join the Peace Corps.  Of course, all of this I could have done without a law degree.  I imagine I will just enlist with the military.  No officer position.  I considered JAG, but I hear that's crazy-hard to get into now.  I could try to sell car insurance in Mexico.  I have always liked it down there to be honest, and I know that they have different insurance rules.  Having a law degree may help me understand those rules better.  Of course I would have to aprendar español.  Solo un poco ahora. 

What to do, what to do?  I can not help wondering what the other graduates of the class of 2013 are going to do?  What is the class of 2012 doing?  Looking for work, but what about the creative ones who realize that law isn't their cup of tea?  Am I the only one?