My Girlfriend is a Lawyer

What is life living with a lawyer you ask? Honestly, it is pretty normal. Granted there are times where some situations fall under the typical stereotypes of a lawyer, but if you are someone like me then it doesn't phase you. I have realized that my level of patience can somewhat reach extreme heights at times. Some say it is a blessing and a curse, I just say it is what it is. There's a reason for everything, so why would I break my head trying to figure out why this and why that and why don't I just accept things for what they are sometimes. I breathe better not worrying myself so much. The real key to succeed in such relationship is to understand and support.

My girlfriend is a lawyer. She is a damn good one too. She works for legal aid, the difference is she doesn't charge any of her clients. I love how passionate she is about her job, and how much she cares to help her clients, it's as if she was born to do it. Being a lawyer comes with high stress days and even nights sometimes. It comes with forgetting to eat a meal, or intentionally skipping it because you just don't have enough time to squeeze it in your busy schedule. Being a lawyer can be exhausting, and not just long hours on the computer but long hours in client meetings or on the phone with clients. Other peoples issues can drain you. Some days she comes home and vents, and other days she just wants to sit in silence and relax her brain. Which ever day it is, I am right beside her listening in whichever way she wants me to.

Not all of the stereotypes are true, but here are a few that are true.

Work tends to follow them home

There are days where my girlfriend is extremely booked to the point where I will not hear from her all day. No text, no call, no nothing. Then she comes home and as sweet as she is she will apologize before she states that she has to continue working until dinner time. Sometimes I do wish she could find a cut off time and stick to it, but I have to think about reality here. She made a commitment to the lawyer life the moment she decided to choose being a lawyer as a career. Who am I to get in the way, especially when I know she is out there doing her best to help those in need, and even more so being a lawyer for legal aid where it is on such high demand because not everyone can afford legal services. I think it makes it that much more amazing, her doing what she does. I must always show support. I am not saying to forget about my feelings, I am simply saying we must understand more during high stress moments. She needs me during those times, and I have committed to being there the moment we started dating.

Dates can be cancelled last minute

There are times when we plan a night out for dinner, or we may plan to watch a movie, or have a game night just to wind down and spend time together. Then there are times when those moments get cancelled last minute because she doesn't have the mental capacity to even send a signal to her brain to blink. She is absolutely exhausted. She is falling asleep before 8 pm. I will be honest at first it would bother me because here I am thinking why can't I even get an hour with my girlfriend. I was frustrated. But then I realized I was being selfish. She didn't want to continuously fall asleep on me and "ruin" date night, she didn't want to not spend time with me. She just needed to rest, she needed to do her own winding down. And that is OKAY. She deserves that, and I should understand that this is what it is to date a lawyer. And to be successful in this relationship we must always find compassion and work together.

There is always a good debate

Who doesn't love a good debate! I know I do, and I am not even a lawyer. One of the many things I enjoy about my time with my girlfriend is our mini debates. We can go on and on about a specific subject, we will research back and forth on the spot and speak on our opinions. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don't. But if it is one thing I am grateful for it is that we are always on the same page morally. We express ourselves in a respectful manner, and the moment we agree to disagree is the moment the conversation has reached its end. But you want to know the best part of our debates, we enjoy ourselves. We don't allow it to consume us in a negative way. We learn from one another, and grow together.

That's it. That's all I've got on what it is like to date a lawyer. Actually allow me to rephrase that, what it is like to date My Girlfriend who is a Lawyer. She is definitely not your average, and we are most certainly not your normal couple. That's what makes all of this manageable. That's what makes all of this worth it. The passion, the drive and ambition, the honesty, love, and communication. All of that plus so much more.

No one is perfect, and I am not saying that it is okay to continuously cancel plans over and over, or to continuously choose work over your relationship. Because we all know that has the potential to become completely unhealthy over time. What I am saying is you go into these situations not knowing the outcome but with knowing all of its possibilities. We have to prepare ourselves for cancellations and late nights. We have to remember it is all temporary and things will eventually slow down, it's inevitable. I support her 100% and I trust her to never let it get to the point where it compromises our relationship and or my trust. It takes two to build a relationship, two to keep it running, and two to break it down. I would never leave her side, and even on those days she falls asleep on my shoulder I will always keep her warm.

Stress is a known factor that can seriously drag a person down to the point of pure helplessness. It is a serious thing that everyone encounters whether they choose to or not. It is inevitable. Being a lawyer is stressful, I see it in her eyes daily. Dating a lawyer is stressful sometimes, not just the personal stresses but the stress of knowing that your partner is stressed but also knowing there isn't anything you could do about it but listen and console to the best of your ability. But that's what life is all about. You live, you learn, and you continue to grow. Every relationship has its hardships, it doesn't matter what your profession is. Your job is to be the best version of yourself each and every day. Your strength is all they need. Your understanding is all they need. Your love is all they need. Together is how you'll succeed. Don't go by stereotypes, build your own positive grounds and swim in the magic.