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[lmn.v2]

I caught a glimpse of my dusty LSAT books sitting on the bottom shelf of my bookcase. It was as if they were calling out to me. I flipped through one, admiring the annotations that I made several years ago while in university. Where was that girl now?

For most of my life, my never complaining, completely fearless mom was ill. She eventually passed when I was 16. My dad, who was most likely deeply hurt within but expressed his pain through aggression and intimidation, decided to leave our house which was now too quiet and empty and move back to Vietnam several months later. I was excited to not have to walk on eggshells anymore but I was also ill-prepared to step so quickly into the real world on my own. Almost immediately, I slipped into a series of toxic relationships that resembled my parents’.

Although a part of me always believed that I will achieve much in life, I began to settle for less. I got married at age 23 and found myself waking up day after day realizing that I was becoming increasingly miserable, living far beneath my potential. My heart belongs in the classroom. I feel at peace when I’m in a library, surrounded by books. But I usually came home to turmoil and dysfunction. I needed to keep the peace and it became apparent that in order to do so, I had to dim my inner light.

At this point, I had already graduated from Simon Fraser University with a BA (with Distinction) majoring in Philosophy, a Legal Studies Certificate as well as a Liberal Arts Certificate. I was gaining work experience and developing my skillset. I worked as a project manager for over a year before becoming a trust officer for the Canada Revenue Agency. I also volunteered at the Downtown Community Court which dealt largely with accused individuals who struggled with addiction, mental illness, homelessness and poverty. Yet, I didn’t know who I was anymore.

Still I wondered, where was that girl who worked nights and weekends to support herself while taking a full course load, reading about Aquinas, Rawls and Hart and passionately studying for the LSAT between classes? She was lost. But I missed her.

I have always admired the legal profession. The disorder of my life up until that point contrasted the firm and stable hand of the law. I love how the law is an abstract and constantly evolving system of rules that is based on order and morality. How slight nuances in language can have major tangible implications. With knowledge, expertise, and care, a lawyer can excellently wield the law in pursuit of immense individual and societal good.

That night, after flipping through that old LSAT book and re-imagining the dreams I once had but were now buried beneath self-doubt, I went to bed praying and asking for guidance. I cannot explain the fearful calm that I felt when I decided to secretly pack my things the very next day and step into the vast unknown. I also cannot describe how my heart fluttered as I registered for the LSAT exactly one month later. The girl was back; she has reclaimed her path and is a far stronger and better version of herself.

Marianne Williamson famously said, “Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure… Your playing small does not serve the world.” For me, being a lawyer isn’t about the money and prestige. I believe that becoming a lawyer is a necessary part of my journey to fulfilling my life’s purpose.

Not sailing smoothly has led me to understand what it feels like to be wronged and restricted. To feel like you are silenced and suffering. I am grateful for the lessons that life has given me because I have developed qualities that now define me - empathy, kindness, gratitude, and resilience. These qualities combined with a law degree will allow me to powerfully serve the world.

I want to help those in need and by the time I leave, I want to make the world a better place. Therefore, I am interested in Family Law, Immigration Law, International Human Rights, Freedom of Expression, and Civil Liberties. I want to join The Innocence Project and participate in the Women's Legal Clinic.

For the rest of my life, I don't plan on playing it small. That’s why I have chosen to apply to __________.




Thank you so much for your time.

[cavalier1138]

You overplayed your hand with the Marianne Williamson quotation. Up to that point, I believed you were serious.

[lmn.v2]

You overplayed your hand with the Marianne Williamson quotation. Up to that point, I believed you were serious.

Thanks for your feedback. That actually is one of my favourite quotes which I read from her book around the time of my transition which was before she started running for office. Do you think I should take it out?