Things Happen for a Reason

I believe that all things happen for a reason. At least, that's what I hope is the case. Otherwise, it seems like my time in Hartford would be a silly waste of time. Perhaps these reasons cannot be discovered through an initial observation at face level - perhaps we need to dig deeper to find a more specific reason. For example, on the surface, it appears that I'm in Hartford simply to get a legal education, so that one day, I would be able to return to Massachusetts -- my home -- to practice. Of course, all this is true, and is certainly in my plans.

However, there appears to be more. For one thing, Hartford enables me to get away from the comfort zone that is home. As much of an independent person as I've been all my life, I've always had that comfortable safety net to fall back on at home. In Hartford, I am truly making an individual life for myself, and the trials and tribulations are hopefully contributing to a more meaningful life experience.

Moreover, Hartford has allowed me to gain a more unique perspective in life - one that I might have missed had I been in MA for the summer. This unique perspective likely stems from having to live in Hartford while working at an unpaid internship. The fact that I have no income stream is seriously contributing to a rather different lifestyle - one that I have never been accustomed to. No longer am I able to simply go out with friends and spend a night on the town. On the one hand, going out is expensive, and living in Hartford with no paying job has made me extremely cognizant of my expenditures. On the other hand, I haven't quite found that one group of people in Hartford that I can consistently rely on for social purposes. As such, I don't have quite the pressures to go out and be social.

As a result, I have been living a relatively cheap life in a rather unremarkable city. I bike everywhere, thus saving on gas and deterioration on my car. Moreover, I spend a lot more time at the gym, which has provided an outlet for me to pursue an active lifestyle that I hope to continue for the long term. Hopefully, this shift to cognizant spending will carry into the future, which is what I think is the paramount reason why I am in Hartford. I'm learning to live a life free from extraneous desires for all that is luxurious. I don't need fancy clothes, a nice car, or even a decadent apartment. More than anything, living the life of a poor student on my own, has made me realize what is important in my life: people, people, and people. No matter where I am, it's the people around me who ultimately define me, and not necessarily what I can purchase with wealth. In the end, I hope to respect -- and have that respect reciprocated -- from people that are around me, and I want that respect to stem from what I do as opposed to what I have. Hopefully, I'll be able to remember this part of my life when I do in fact become successful (sooner rather than later!). Perhaps this realization is the true reason why I'm here in Hartford, the rising star of New England.