Happily, I write that a few things have changed about me since I was a five-year-old. For instance, I am a couple feet taller, and my teeth are considerably more organized (thank you, braces!). What has not changed, however, is my dream of becoming a lawyer; thirteen years later, it is still one of my top career choices. I dream of a career that will allow me to use my passions. As someone who has an affinity for reading, writing, and rules, I feel I am well-suited (lawyer pun!) not only to become a lawyer, but also to enjoy being a lawyer and, thus, fulfill my goal to have an occupation I love. Earning enough money so that my parents and I do not have to continue to live paycheck-to-paycheck is another one of my career goals. It is this financial insecurity that sparked my five year old self to daydream of arguing with men in business suits! After all, my childhood best friend's father is a lawyer, and, as a child, I quickly realized that her father's income played a big part as to why her life seemed more appealing than mine. Thus, I decided to become a lawyer! Over a decade later, law is one of my most desired career paths. I must make several achievements to reach these dreams. For example, this fall, I will be beginning college to earn a bachelor's degree in English, which is one of my favorite school subjects and an ideal major for people pursuing law school. I also plan to join my college's debate society, which will prepare me for and aid in my acceptance to law school. Lastly, I accepted an invitation to my college's honor society, and my participation in that could distinguish me from other law school applicants.

As a verbose and opinionated person whose mind is typically occupied with several thoughts at once, I am not naturally good at active listening. Holding my tongue at appropriate times and giving the person speaking to me the attention they deserve is something I have been practicing for years. Two things that have helped me become a better listener are practicing listening etiquette and changing my perspective on listening. To listen to those around me, I follow listening etiquette! Body language is the most important aspect of this. Not only does using correct body language make the person speaking to me feel heard, but it also helps keep me focused on them. Reacting to what people say with my gestures and facial expressions, ignoring my phone, and making appropriate eye contact are ways I like to incorporate good body language while listening. These physical indicators are more impactful than any words I can offer. In my experience, listening can be as beneficial to me as it is to the person I am listening to. For example, when I focus only on the words someone is saying to me and not the myriad problems swirling around my mind, it gives me an opportunity to be present. Being present is a lost practice among many people today, myself included. When I give the person speaking to me my undivided attention, I am relearning the art of being present for a couple of the most simple treasures in life--people and their words. While listening is not always the most comfortable option for a person like me, it is always the best option. Active listening, which can be accomplished by following just a few simple guidelines, has enriched my life in ways talking can not.

Being patient is important to me--and not just because it's my last name--, because it has saved me from several incidents turning sour. Patient living keeps people from turning vexing situations into regretful tragedies. For example, imagine someone in a restaurant. What happens if this person is the unfortunate recipient of a dollop of mashed potatoes that harvest a rogue strand of hair, and the manager takes a while to arrive at the table and address the situation? They, as the unfortunate recipient, could make an unfortunate scene which then terrifies the manager when they arrive. While a meal disservice would reasonably startle any diner, a diner making a scene waiting for the manager's appearance by yelling threats and harassing employees and other diners is certainly not in the diner's favor (nor is it a display of good morals). Such a reaction by the customer would surely make the manager anxious when they arrive at the table, which could lead to the manager taking far longer to rectify the defiled mashed potatoes by means of a stressed mind. This situation would end in the customer's needs not being amply met. Had they reacted patiently, they would have been met with a serene manager who would have had the peace of mind to remedy the mashed potato mistake. Patience matters to me, because it makes minor problems from turning into major problems.