Published on:
25 Jun 2023
3
min read
Photo by Silviu from Unsplash
On the ephemeralness of our earthy existences.
I won't pretend to have scintillating and insightful personal stories of the 2 legal giants that passed over the weekend.¹
I'll just share 3 short reflections.
1. Find some enjoyment at work.
I acknowledge that not all of us have this luxury. So this is perhaps more aspirational than realistic.
But.
I suggest that life's too short to be stuck in annoying jobs that we persist with just for financial benefits, while promising ourselves that if we tough it out for just a few more years, we can retire early, and finally get to do what we find enjoyable.
That's not to say that every moment at work needs to be sunshine and rainbows. But I suggest that there is value in seeking jobs with enough enjoyable bits to counteract the more dreary aspects.
2. Be kind.
There's that overused Maya Angelou quote about people remembering how you made them feel, which is probably a misattribution anyway.²
But - misattributed or not - it's true.
Compliment folks. Highlight what they did well. Speak of their flaws and mistakes gently. Acknowledge their efforts. Ask them to share their wisdom. Make them feel heard. The list goes on.
3. Don't put it off.
Everyone's "it" will differ.
But you know what I mean.
There will never be a perfect time to do it. So, what the heck, just go for it.³
---
Rest in peace, Prof Tan and Adrian.
Disclaimer:
The content of this article is intended for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
¹ My last contact with Prof Tan was, uhm, completely giving up on trying to understand his stream-of-consciousness seminars for International Commercial Litigation, in favour of playing Catan with a friend at the back of the classroom. He didn't call us out, even though it was probably obvious. Not my proudest moment. Some irony, then, that conflicts of law and jurisdictional battles now take up a significant part of my practice.
My last professional contact with Adrian was losing an interlocutory battle for which the law was indisputably, indubitably, on my side. His winning strategy was to make it terribly uncomfortable for the decision-maker to rule in my favour.
Come to think of it, these anecdotes probably do give you a flavour of who they were.
² https://www.bbc.com/news/41913640.
³ That being said, I disclaim all liability and responsibility for any harm that may be caused by anyone who chooses to act on this. Don't abandon all logic and reason in favour of irrationality, y'all.
⁴ Adrian would approve. He's the only person who's ever suggested that I should add more footnotes.
