Leaving History

The thought of graduating from law school is making me surprisingly nostalgic. I was more than ready to leave high school and itching to see what college was all about. When the time came to leave college I was ready too, though petrified about what came next. When it was time to leave my job I may not have been ready, but I had grown tired of Boston.

Now I feel like I just got the hang of law school. I’m finally in my element and growing in the ways that I want to grow. I’m taking advantage of my skills and learning so many different things. I have more genuine friends here than I have ever had in one place. But everyone is leaving – not just me. So if I stayed I would be enjoying the weather alone.

Thinking about all the people I’m leaving I worry that my history and experiences are being left behind. There is no community with knowledge of me as a whole. I feel fragmented. Old friends have a special value, offering continuity with oneself. Even if you like the new you, better than the old you, knowing how much change you have achieved can be comforting.