Law School Was My Dream

(Written by Angel Zimmerman, a WIL Committee member, who is responsible for the blog focus group "Practicing with Children at Home".)

I think one of the most valuable, but will also be the most difficult, things for our women in the law community will be our diversity.   While we all claim to be “doing God’s will”, we often question ourselves if we really are doing His will when we compare ourselves to our other female counterparts.

It is so difficult to understand that there isn’t “one right answer”.  It is even more heart wrenching to watch God give the answer to “our” deepest desire to someone else.

How is it not always the “right answer” to stay home with our children;  how could God not send a husband to a righteous woman;  or, how could God not grant children to a loving couple when so many children are sent to homes that abuse them?  And what if we feel that our purpose is to be a single sister in the church, or, we have children but get a great sense of purpose at the office?  Are we somehow being disobedient?

I will be forever grateful to this blog for the comment (that my husband had to point out to me) “choose your tears.”

I am deeply touched by the blog, “Law School was Not My Dream.” For years, I wet my pillow with my tears because I felt Heavenly Father took away my mission from me, which was to attend law school.  Maybe I should have “let it go and trusted God more”. It would have saved countless tears but this spirit daughter of her patient Heavenly Father is very grateful that her Heavenly Father loves his very strong headed daughters (just read the scriptures).

With eternal optimism and immense gratitude for one's divine gift to debate the Lord, law school did come for me. Of course, it was on His time schedule and not mine. I am grateful it was before my children were grown and it is amazing how the Lord’s time schedule, in hindsight, was a thousand times better than my own.

What is most striking to me about Heather’s post is this thought:  in both lives, hers and mine, with opposite beginnings, we have both come to say, “I thank the Lord everyday for guiding me on the path I am on.” I know we both had many nights questioning the Lord on “Why me?” And now with his loving patience, he has two daughters on the path saying, “Wow Me!”


(One of the goals of this bog is to address seven different focus groups:  full time practice; part time practice; on hiatus; practicing with children at home; students; using your law degree in your community and family; and, singles.  If you have any suggestions about topics you would like to see addressed in these areas, please let us know through the Comment section below.)