I always seem to be pointing out things about law practice that need to be fixed. I warn you of the pitfalls of practice and try to protect you from the big, bad stuff that can happen if you are not wary and diligent and cognizant of your responsibility to plan and to make good and rational choices to protect your careers. That is what mentors do, and I plead guilty to all of it. However, I also know that it is appropriate and necessary to help you craft the best careers possible in the law.
As we get closer to Thanksgiving—-which it TODAY!— I realize that some of the advising and land mine identification overlooks the fact that we, as women in America, are very lucky. We enjoy greater opportunities than women in most other parts of the world, and we need to be thankful for that.
For instance, I am thankful that I am allowed to drive a car— no matter how badly I drive it! I am thankful that I do not have to cover my face in public. I am thankful that I do not have to worry about being sexually assaulted for the simple reason that I am a woman and perceived to have little value, and I am thankful that I am able to access the highest levels of education available on the face of the earth. And, I am thankful for so many other things.
It is easy to get caught up in minutia and to treat every small thing as a big problem. We need to keep it all in focus. We need to understand that we have the ability to solve both big and small problems because of the privileges that we enjoy in this wonderful country.
I have lived abroad. I know the difference. Although I lived in a developed country, the difference between that experience and living in America was stark. There simply is no place like home, and we should never lose sight of it.
So, on this Thanksgiving Day, and after you have expressed your thanks for your families and your friends and the delicious food on your table, give thanks that you are a woman in America. It does not get any better than that for any of us. We are women who can reach for the stars, touch them, claim them and bring them down to earth. The fact that it may be harder for us than for some others does not diminish the value of having the opportunity. Just being able to say “I can do that” is a privilege that many women around the world do not have.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
