This has been a week of revelations about the true nature of many people. Maybe it’s part of growing older and getting wiser. Maybe it’s part of getting hurt one too many times. But I’m starting to realize that oftentimes people truly are just out there for their own benefit and will do whatever it takes to get to the top or make themselves feel superior, even if it means stepping on your face on the way.
My husband, who grew up in a country divided for many years by a brutal civil war, has often tried to convince me of this harsh reality but I, the daughter of Christian missionaries who always had a room and a warm meal for a stranger, refused to believe it. I still find it hard to believe. That said, at least when it comes to work and school, I think I need to put up a bit of a stronger shield. 
Early this week, a good friend of mine at work lost her job under circumstances that were very unfair. Then I had a run-in with someone at work that was really humiliating and uncalled for and the two work issues combined made me wonder about my future there. In addition, while school has been going well in terms of professors and the subject matter itself, some of my classmates have been acting like real asshats all of a sudden! I’m not sure what changed, but I know that several others feel the same way I do — please let this 1L year end so that we can pick our classes and hopefully get away from the few that are being particularly obnoxious.
Anyway, while many things are going much better than they were just a few weeks ago, this week really made my heart hurt and made me think about long-term priorities. Who knows? If it’s meant to work out, there may be some changes in the works and a steelier, less tenderhearted lady ready to face the world when the bell rings for the next go-round.
