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One
of the many benefits of liberal arts education is
the simultaneous nurturing of the scientific and creative
minds. Some of us lean toward one or the other of
those. I seem to be about in the middle. I am just
scientific enough to be dangerous, and I appreciate
the creations of others far better than I, myself,
create.
My scientific mind knows
that time is a constant. From Big Ben to the atomic
clock, the one thing you can count on is steady old
time. Still, like alot of people, my creative mind
helps me experience a common psychological effect
of the human aging process. The older I become, the
faster time speeds by. "Mommy, are we there yet?"
has become a distant memory. Today's question is "where
did the time go?" That, more than anything else
has led me to obsess upon making the most of life;
my life, that is, for like all but the most saintly
of us, I hang near the center of my own perceived
universe.
It all started with
another of my obsessions, food. One day, quite out
of the blue, it occurred to me that there was a finite
limit to the number of my remaining meals. I do not
know exactly how many are left, but it is some finite
number. What a depressing moment that was. Whatever
was I to do? Ever the analyst, I realized that becoming
suicidal would only make matters much worse. Instead,
I would make the best of the bad situation. Then and
there I resolved to never again eat another mediocre
meal. Over time, that affliction spread through my
entire attitude. Life is short and time is on speed.
Ergo, I must avoid spending it upon the not-worthwhile.
Pause here. Consider
the irony. What do you think? You just read those
words from a guy who spent the last year of his life
being president of the Arkansas Bar Association, and
the year before that getting ready for the aforesaid
presidential year. First this Tom Daily confesses
his quality-of-life obsession. Now, in the next breath,
he is going to tell us to spend some serious time
working for a bunch of lawyers - for free. Is this
some feeble effort at oxymoron?
That would be incorrect.
There is no contradiction, and that is the punch line
here. With the exception of family, friends, and sunny
spring days on Arkansas' trout and smallmouth streams,
I know no better time than time invested in our Association.
Such time is invested by so many of us, faithful members
of committees and task forces, the House of Delegates
and Board of Governors, CLE faculty and those who
simply are there, only a phone call away. Ask any
present or former leader of our Association and you
will hear the same story. We are who we are; and we
are a lot.
The reasons for our
commitment are several and varied, but for me, it
comes down to this: WE ARE LAWYERS. We are uniquely
prepared, both by education and experience, to be
the stewards of the rules of our society. Improvement
and modernization of substantive and procedural law,
defending our impartial, independent judiciary, bringing
true diversity to our profession, not just in Little
Rock, but throughout the state and assuring access
to justice for all are simply our solemn obligation.
THERE IS NO MORAL OPTION OTHERWISE.
The benefits of Bar
Association membership are important as well, sort
of like an icing on the cake. Actually, I meant to
say "delicately crisp,torch-caramelized sugar
atop the creme brulee." Still, there is much
to be said for lifelong friendships with colleagues
in every part of our wonderful state, unequaled opportunities
for professional development and even practical things,
like a high-quality legal research tool, at a price
(free) that will improve our bottom line. (After all,
altruism aside, we need to make a profit doing what
we do.)
Consider this, if you
will. The benefits of Association membership are there
for taking. Take freely and often. But then, some
time or times over your career, give something back.
Give from your bank of time (There are countless opportunities
for that.) and, when you can afford to do so, give
a little money too. Become a sustaining member and/or
Arkansas Bar Foundation fellow. I predict that you
will be glad you did.
I will forever be thankful
that you gave me the opportunity to spend precious
time as your Association's president. Such service
is truly its own reward. The only problem is that
it went by so fast.•
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