Dallas Detour

Sometimes I have work schedules that don't make sense. Like why, for example, would I have hearings scheduled in Ardmore, Oklahoma when there are two very capable attorneys stationed in Dallas and one in Oklahoma City? Ardmore doesn't even have an airport! But such is the case sometimes.

Because Ardmore was still about a 2 hour drive from the nearest airport and flying (commuting to the airport, waiting for flight, etc.) would eat up almost as much time as driving to the nearest airport, I opted to take my trusty corolla instead and make my own schedule.

My schedule couldn't have been more perfectly planned, for on the way home I got to make a detour to this beautiful place.

Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, believe worship in holy temples to be a great source of strength and peace. While there is an LDS temple located in Houston, it was temporarily closed for the month of September.  I was overjoyed that my work travels had, in a round about way, sent me here.

I mentioned before that some stories cannot be shared. Another such story occurred this weekend that broke my heart, but more importantly the hearts of those I love. My heartache is nothing compared to theirs, I'll be the first to admit. Despite this, I saw very clearly the grief, evil, and misfortune that at times seems to combat us on all sides. I knew that, for myself at least, I needed to seek some sort of refuge from the storm. And it is here where I found it. Even as I entered the parking lot, I could feel my shoulders relax and peace flood my heart.

As I evaluated the proceeding weekend, I realized that if darkness can exist, so then must light. Otherwise how would we know what darkness is if we had nothing to compare it to. So I began to look for goodness and for small slivers of hope breaking through what at times seems an impenetrable wall of resistance. And this is what I found:

• I found a man who had just reclaimed his Saturday mornings only to offer one more up for the sake of helping someone else by delivering Meals on Wheels. 
• I found a friend drop everything in an instant to be with a loved one in need.
• I found a family invite a lonely woman to lunch. 
• I found a man who chose to live worthily so he could be called upon in a moment's notice to give a priesthood blessing to someone in despair.
• I found a friend asking after a man he's never met but cares for anyway.
• I found a mini van full of kids eager to help find somebody to love. 
• I found smiles, hugs, selflessness, and a whole lot of love. 

I suppose darkness is all around us if that's what we choose to see. But again, if there is darkness, there must be light. If there is evil, there must be good. If there is despair, there must be hope. If there is confusion, there must be certainty. If there are falsehoods, there must be truth. Sometimes these things are hard to see. Light and truth aren't nearly as captivating or intriguing as their opposites. They aren't nearly so loud or as demanding. But goodness, light, and truth are all there, if we choose to see it. 

And for those that may be too burdened by grief to see it now, there is hope and there are good things to come. Just hang on! Perhaps our detours don't seem to make much sense when they are forced upon us, but perhaps, maybe in due time?, they too will lead us to a place, somewhere, that offers peace, comfort, and refuge from the storm. 

What goodness have you found this week?

For more on: The Infinite Power of Hope

For more on: LDS Temples

Things Said (and Unsaid)

It's been three months, almost to the date, since my last post.
Life got pretty exciting.
So exciting that I didn't have time to write.
So exciting that even if I did have the time, I wouldn't have been able to focus.

Sometimes we have stories we can share. Sometimes we have stories we can't. (And often times, let's be honest, we have stories we shouldn't share but do anyway).

Some stories cannot be shared because when we are in the middle of them they consume us. They hit every emotion possible and the intensity at which we feel those emotions leaves our head spinning. All we can do is hold on and see how it will all unfold.

Some stories cannot be shared even after they have ended because they are too dear, too personal, too full of love, too full of pain.

And sometimes, stories cannot be shared because there is the hope that, despite reaching a climax and conclusion, there is more to the story. There is the hope that even though the story's end appears to be well-written and finalized, perhaps it's really just a beginning, a beginning to a much longer and even greater story.

The story of the past three months cannot be shared for all of the above reasons. I have other stories to tell though (if anyone still wants to read them), but I'm struggling to find the strength to speak.

Until I find my voice again, I thought I'd let someone else do the talking...

Judge:  Are we on the record?
Hearing monitor:  Yes
Judge: [to no one in particular] There's an attorney from Dallas that I see and I never know what hair color she is going to have when I see her. Sometimes it's red, sometimes it's blonde, sometime's it's brown....but with Becki, she's consistent, I always know it's going to be red. I just thought I'd get that on the record.


Niece, age 3: [at Thanksgiving Dinner] This turkey is dead. But it used to be alive right?
Us: Yes
Niece: Did the lawyer kill it?


Judge: What do you do all day?
Claimant: Nothin'....Sir, I'm a crackhead.


Judge: Good morning counselor. It's always a pleasure to see you. I see you got the pink shirt memo.


Client: [to Security Guard] I found my attorney in the parking lot, isn't that great? And wouldn't you know, I got the prettiest attorney in the parking lot.


Unknown Man in Lobby: If you were stuck with a tiger, lion, and camel and had a gun with one shot, which would you shoot?
Unsuspecting Victim in Lobby: [shrugs shoulders]
Unknown Man: I'd shoot the tiger, erase the "line" and smoke the camel.


Security Guard: You're just a baby attorney, aren't ya?


Unknown Man in Lobby: [as I walk by] You need a wedding band.


Judge: Is this some kind of joke?
Me: Uh....
Judge: Jerrilyn and Becki Lyn?
Client: It's pronounced Jerr-Lyn, no i.
Judge: Ok. Then for the remainder of the hearing you will be Beck-Lyn.
*Client's name changed above.


Conclusions that can be drawn from the above statements:

Judges like consistency.
Lawyers kill birds.
Crackheads are honest.
Female judges pay attention to your wardrobe while male judges stick to hair color
Older clients are flirty.
Older men in small towns think they're funny.
I apparently look like a baby (again).
I need to get married.
And certain judges like to tease female baby attorneys with red hair and double first names by refusing to call them by their last name which is proper protocol.