“It came to a point when I had to choose between my career or my child. It’s a no brainer but…”
2018: After six (6) long years in hiatus, I finally gained the will to take the bar exams again. I first took the Bar exams in 2012 the same year I graduated but didn’t make it to the cut. It was expected, but difficult to accept. As a working student then, handling Paralegal and Research work, not to mention admin tasks, I barely find myself focused on reviewing for the Bar. I didn’t enroll in a review center because I thought, what I learned from law school is enough. Boy, I was wrong.
The result of the 2016 Bar exams, with a 59% passing rate encouraged me to give it another shot. I thought about it for a year — assessed myself whether I’m ready to devote long hours of studying, given the fact that I have a super clingy breastfeeding one-year-old child and a mid-day job (1:30 pm to 10:00 pm) then. I asked myself, “If not now, then when?”
I started looking for books and review materials that I feel comfortable with and bought them. At the last minute, I enrolled in a review center, which I should’ve done 6 years ago.
Everything’s going well, but not easy though. I can’t study at home because Gabby doesn’t want me to. Every time she finds me reading, she interrupts me, closes my book, and latch. Book vs. Gabby? Gabby always wins. I finished the review classes and continued self-study. Though I enrolled in the review center in 2018, I intended to take the Bar exams in 2019, in order to give myself ample time to adjust and recall what I learned almost 10 years ago.
2019: My mother-in-law, who’s looking after Gabby at that time, suffered a mild stroke. She had to return to their home in Rizal to fully recover. Left with no other choice, I quit my corporate job and decided to stay at home to take care of my then 2-year-old daughter. It wasn’t easy at first. I’ve never been dependent on anybody financially for 10 years, and now I don’t have my own income.
But God is good all the time. He opened opportunities for me to somehow earn and be productive. That’s when I turned to Content Creation as a part-time source of income. It wasn’t a stable income-generating business, but because of that, I didn’t feel totally broke and helpless.
2020: At present, I’m gradually transitioning from a stay-at-home mom to a work-at-home mom. I may have turned the steering wheel in a different direction, but I believe that different roads can still lead to the same destination.
I’m learning new skills as a Freelance Writer and Content Creator, though I’m still in search of a job wherein I can apply my knowledge in law. As for my dream of becoming a lawyer, I trust God’s perfect timing. I’m embracing the season where I am at the moment. And for everything, I’m forever grateful.
Happiness shared
makes double the happiness!– Shishi
