Fiery Passion

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This is a topic that is popular among the millennials today, as I observed. I see many of them pursuing different paths after they had completed their tertiary education in a different course. Take law for example. Reading law in the university does not mean you will be a practicing lawyer. Well, that's for me, hahaha. I choose to teach rather than practice law. I also see a lot of law graduates becoming entrepreneur, opening restaurants and cafes, becoming insurance agents, joining the fashion industry and a lot of other disciplines that really does not have anything to do with statutes and cases. Take Vivy Yusof for example. A law graduate who chose to enter the fashion industry by opening a company and still surviving successfully up till now.


As for me... hmmmm.. Let's see. We had justified from many of my blog posts that I had always thought I would practice law after I graduated, but that did not happen. Instead, I joined the teaching profession. It was only meant to be for a few months and that few months eventually turned to .... forever? 😁
In 2015, I made a bold decision to quit my stable position in a public university to start my chambering. Many criticized this decision. Sure, I was not exactly a fresh graduate embarking on a new journey to be a young lawyer. I was already in my 30s. 


At that point of time, I even thought I might continue to practice law after I completed my chambering. I had written about my experience being a student in chamber here, and trust me it was not full of rainbow. I thought I would like it, parading in my black and white suit climbing the stairs of the courts, meeting clients, listening to their stories, doing the filings and all other related stuffs of being in the legal world. Turned out I was wrong. I did not enjoy it. 
Then an old classmate invited me to join her firm and I said ok because I really did not have any plan after I was called to the Bar. Looking through the files bring me headache and same goes to the visits of meeting clients. As much as I tried to be positive in learning new things, I guess I was too old to catch up on being a full pledge lawyer. They said you can't teach old dogs new tricks. Well, maybe that is true in my situation.
That was when I applied to become a lecturer again and I was reunited with my happiness. I think we can agree on one thing, being a lawyer is not in my blood. In fact, while I was doing my chambering, I cried every day after work because listening to the clients' stories were so horrible and I had so much empathy for them. Mr H was also stressed and once told me that I should quit then so to stop me from falling into depression again, hahaha. 


So, at the age of 35 we can conclude that practicing law is not a passion of mine. Maybe it is the age factor too, hahaha. It dampened my ability to catch up. But then, we will see. One day after I retire, I can always practice again since I was already called to the Bar.😏
I had tried doing business too. I sell cosmetic products. To tell the truth, it seemed like an easy job at that time. Promote your product on your social media and just wait for people to buy. However, the reality hit me that I didn't enjoy this journey either. It annoyed me so much that customers would send me messages through whatsapp or on other social medias asking for additional info about the product that I am selling and I am bound to respond no matter when and where. It irked me that sometimes the questions were errr silly questions but I could not say anything since I was hoping they would buy the product. 


This actually made me think recently because my friend and I were discussing about this pandemic and how long would it stay. Its affecting the economy badly, no doubt. We were also discussing about our savings and whether it could be the umbrella to save us from rainy days ahead (*touchwood). My friend here is involved with e-commerce and she told me that this platform is booming now. It can be considered as an easy task and in return, would give you easy money. 
I listened to her stories attentively but I did not even give it a second thought. Deep down in my heart I had already concluded that I don't like it. I mean, to the idea of selling and buying ie business. The passion was just not there. I also understand that doing business might get a lot more return than my monthly income if you are really passionate about it. But then, that is the keyword here - "passion" and I know from the start that I do not have it in me. And this time, you can't say that I did not try, because I did. And I don't like it.
I had a conversation with Mr H about this. I told him, "You know, it is strange that I feel annoyed answering the silly questions from customers asking about the products I am selling but students ask me silly questions all the time and I can answer them patiently. In fact, I could spend hours online or on whatsapp (in this current work from home situation) trying to explain the law to them and most of the time repeating myself again, and again. It is strange that I enjoyed doing this no matter how many questions they ask and no matter how long it would take. But while I was selling stuffs, I hated it."
I guess this concludes that my passion has found me, and not the other way around. I love teaching and I know I am good at it. It could take hours, explaining about facts of law to the students, but I really don't mind. I can even do it with my eyes close, hahaha. 

I had tried, to divert from teaching. I was in the legal profession and I tried doing business. I know many are very successful and become rich for being lawyers and involved in businesses. But for me, that's it. I would rather not.♡

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