Contributing Member of Society

I struggle with figuring out how to satisfy all of my concerns and interests into one career too. On one hand, I love public interest work and my whole life has been invested in it. On the other hand, I want as you have pointed out, to help out people who were there for me during my childhood and now. If I take a job at a corporate law firm, I can do this but likely at the expense of some of my values. There may be a firm that somehow fits with all I want to accomplish in my life, but I realize that this may be a pipe dream.

I want to buy my mother a nice car and a house as a small payment for all she has done for me. It's hard to come from a single parent background and not feel invested in making sure that parent is okay in life. My father has not contacted me since I was two years old, and the child support checks were intermittent. I owe so much to her. She is getting older and is disabled, so I want to help her sooner than later.

There is a lot of disillusionment in families that never really had someone make it. My family has always pushed me to be successful and believed in me, but most of my aunts work in fast food and I was the first person in my family to graduate from college. I still remember talking about how much money in tips I made while working at Sonic in high school, only to have my cousin take my money. His mother made him give it back, but I feel bad because I want him to have a better life too.

On the other hand, I have had some amazing opportunities in my life. As a fraternal twin brother from a low income background, a plethora of organizations were willing to give us full scholarships to take part in programs like the YMCA. People were willing to help us. I even was in a United Way commercial at a young age because people were intrigued by our story. I was blessed to attend great institutions and to teach as a part of Teach for America and later at a KIPP school.

I'm writing all of this to tell you that I'm really proud of you. I know it has been difficult but reading your story inspires me. There are probably some things you never tell anyone because it is part of your family struggle too.

It is okay to have a variety of career interests. It is your life and only you define it. What makes you happy will not be the same as what makes someone else happy. I am glad you are making your own trail.

Take care, thanks for sharing, and I look forward to working with you in the future.

-- WilliamDavidWilliams - 8 July 2012