Simple tasks v. complicated tasks by Justin Steele

Since starting work here at Rice Amundsen and Caperton, I have been fortunate enough to put my accounting background and minimal legal knowledge to hard work; building book cases, assembling dollies, and moving file cabinets up and down the stairs. 

You might think that sounds a little bit sarcastic.  That’s probably because it was a little sarcastic, but in reality I am glad that I have been given the opportunity to do not only the small tasks but also tasks related to legal work.  Since beginning work here, I have gotten to do all the things that one imagines doing when they watch a movie like Paperchase: running to court, running errands, getting coffee, sending correspondences, and becoming best friends, but also mortal enemies, with the copier.  I have gotten to do all these things and have learned an important lesson for life and legal practice.

Although it might not be the most profound, I’ve come to an important realization.  Most days, it turns out, are spent doing simple things, talking in nice tones to the copier, and are not spent making groundbreaking arguments in court.  However, these small tasks are of equal importance to the big ones and they should be given a similar appreciation.  Like Oswald Chambers says, “We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life - those are simply meant to be moments of inspiration.  We are made for the valleys, and the ordinary things in life, that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength.”