1:49 PM. December 13, 2024.
A time, a date, a heartbeat suspended in anticipation.
The Bar exam results are out, and suddenly—across the country, across cities and quiet corners—lives are changing. Joy erupts in group chats. Phone calls are filled with laughter, sobs, stunned silence. Screens glow with names that mark the beginning of long-dreamt-of careers. And for others, the journey will take a little longer—an ache I recognize as nothing short of courageous.
Because just taking the Bar exam is an act of grit.
Finishing law school is no small feat—it tests you in ways that go far beyond academics. It demands parts of you you didn’t know existed. And choosing to walk this path? That’s never just about a job. For me, it’s about purpose. It’s about impact. It’s about becoming someone who shows up for others—and the world—in a way that truly matters.
As I scroll through the waves of announcements and celebrations, I feel a quiet tug at my heart. Every name, every message, carries a story. Not just of triumph, but of everything it took to get there: the long nights, the close calls, the inner battles, the unwavering hope. And in the middle of all this joy, a truth becomes so clear to me: We don’t rise alone.
Behind every person crossing this finish line is a constellation of others—mentors, parents, friends, professors, late-night phone call buddies—who held them together when things were falling apart. The cheerleaders, the truth-tellers, the believers. Because let’s be honest: when we’re chasing something big, self-doubt is always lurking. Sometimes, it’s not until someone else says, “You were made for this”, that we finally start to believe it ourselves.
Together, we rise higher.
Even the most determined dreamers—those who never miss a deadline, who sacrifice weekends, who push through exhaustion—need reminding that they are not alone. And that success? It’s never just about effort. It’s the culmination of collective faith. A thousand whispered, “Don’t give up.” A hundred doors held open. One person saying, “I see you.”
But dreaming big always comes with a cost.
Sometimes it means leaving behind comfort, or letting go of relationships that once defined us. Sometimes it means waking up in a life that looks wonderful from the outside, yet still wondering, Is this truly what I wanted? That’s where I am right now. I have a good job. A fair salary. I live in a city that pulses with energy and opportunity. I travel, I connect, I build friendships. And still, at the end of the day—when the noise quiets and I’m alone in my room—those questions come back.Is this it?
Is this the dream I once burned for, or a version of it I settled into because it was safer?
But here’s what I’ve learned:
When those questions appear, they aren’t always a sign of failure. Sometimes, they’re a nudge—an invitation to return to our deeper truth. To the part of us that still believes in something more.
And today, as I watch others step into their next chapter, I remember my own dream again.
I remember why I chose this path.
And I remember that the people who believe in me haven’t stopped.
So maybe it’s time I stop doubting myself, too.
Because the bigger the dream, the bolder the path—and the deeper the potential for impact.
Not every dream is meant to serve just us. Some dreams are rooted in justice, in hope, in the belief that we’re here to leave the world a little better than we found it. Those are the dreams that demand more. But they also give more. And I want to live a life that gives something meaningful back.
So, to everyone who passed the Bar—congratulations. To those still on the journey—your courage is profound. And to anyone quietly wondering if your dream is still worth chasing… I hope you know that it is.
It always has been.
