[Column] Life is unpredictable, we just do our best

I sit in the company conference room and look out the window. As a lawyer of 6 years, I am handling a variety of cases. Especially when I solve the problems of people in financial difficulties, I realize once again that the path I have taken has not been in vain.

A few days ago, a fellow lawyer's Instagram story touched my heart. “I become an interview committee member and visit a company I would never have thought of joining before.” The irony of time contained in a single line of writing made me reflect on the depth of life. A few days later, a classmate from law school contacted me. He said that there was an opening at his company and that he would highly recommend me. That company was a company that every young person dreamed of at least once, and a few years ago, I wonder if I could have imagined such a moment. Maybe you didn't believe it.

Like this, the stories about me and those around me clearly show how unpredictable life is. I graduated from Seoul Law School, prepared for the bar exam, and enlisted on active duty as a private at the age of 29. After being discharged from the military, while looking for a job at a media company, I happened to learn about the law school scholarship system through a friend. At the age of 35, I entered law school, and studied happily while receiving full tuition exemption and a living scholarship worth 1 million won per month.

Also, I have competed in the Spring Literary Contest every year since entering college, but have been unsuccessful for 7 years, and finally won after my 8th attempt. The winning work was submitted as a slightly modified version of the previously rejected work, as I was preparing for the second round of the bar exam and had no time to write a new work. Paradoxically, unexpected joy came during the busiest and most difficult times.

Law school was a particularly valuable time. Although I was the oldest among 41 classmates, that experience became my strength. Thanks to my background as a law major, I was able to study leisurely and engage in a variety of activities. I participated in the journal editorial committee, Christian clubs, and various study groups, and also participated in various mock trial competitions. It was a fruitful three years, completing 120 credits, much more than the 96 credits required for graduation.

I can't forget the story of the two friends I studied with back then. Of the two friends who studied together with the dream of becoming a prosecutor, one passed, and the other did not pass. Years later, my friend, who became a prosecutor, knocked on the door of a law firm after retirement, but was rejected. The law firm already had a friend who had failed the prosecutor's exam. Our life is full of such unpredictable moments.

Life is like a music channel on YouTube. There are many moments when the song you want doesn't come out right away, but in the process, you sometimes discover an unexpected masterpiece. In the moments when things don't go as planned, we find a path that leads to greater happiness. It later turns out that the path we did not want at first was actually the path that suited us best.

Just like the Netflix series, where the main character becomes a supporting character and the supporting character becomes the lead, unexpected developments are hidden in our lives as well. Even if you feel like a supporting role now, it can be a process that takes you to the leading role. We move according to our own timetable, and sometimes what seems like a slow pace may actually be the most appropriate timing.

At this moment, numerous prospective lawyers are preparing for the bar exam at 25 law schools across the country. How many people are still holding on to the dream they had when they entered school? But let's remember: The true winner is not the one who runs ahead from the beginning, but the one who runs to the end at his own pace. The sweat you shed is never in vain. It will definitely come back, sometimes as a precious relationship, sometimes as a solid skill, and sometimes as an unexpected opportunity. Every moment now is a stepping stone that will lead you to a better future. So, be strong today too. Thinking of the moment of joy that awaits you beyond the horizon. At this moment, each line you are writing will soon become a scene from a touching drama. I sincerely hope that everyone who reads this will pass the exam and have a bright future ahead of them.
 

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