Author: Maria B. Glorioso | category : Published Articles

In preparing to write this message I turned to my “quick fixes” for inspiration and ideas. I found a book entitled ‘In Search of Atticus Finch’ written by Mike Papantonio. It was given to me by my father in hopes that I would strive to have a fulfilling life which included important things other than professional success. This was something no one impressed upon him until he was 55 years of age.

Being the daughter of a successful trial lawyer I grew up thinking you had to work long hard hours to achieve professional success. I now know this is true. However, I have come to learn that in order to be truly happy and fulfilled you must make sacrifices in your professional life in order to be successful in your personal, emotional and spiritual life.

There are no easy answers on how you do this. I certainly have not found any. I do know it doesn’t work if you try to find the time. Instead you have to make the time. Illustratively, I write this message very early in the morning on the day it is due. I was supposed to work on it yesterday after I had lunch with my grandmother and cousins (whom I don’t see often enough). I “should” have left after lunch and worked on this message. Instead I said, the hell with it, I am here, I made the time to get here, I must make the most of it and enjoy it now. So, I did. I wound up having a great time and got to spend quality time with relatives who are close to my heart but I seldom see.

So I sit hear now, tired but fulfilled. Happy in my personal life and somehow, seemingly succeeding to get this message written and to press on time.

In searching for a quote to give you as a “quick fix” I thought of Socrates’ admonition that the unexamined life is not worth living; and Emerson’s definition of success, “…to laugh often and much;…to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or redeemed social condition…”. But the one quote I felt was most appropriate was from my father when he wrote “We trial lawyers in our never ending, full-time, all consuming quest for professional recognitions and financial success and in our commitment to and discharge of obligations to client and cause, all too often sacrifice the very quality of life which we seek for our clients and the loss of which we so eloquently and passionately lament to juries. How sadly ironic!