50 something – for a little while longer.

I have 371 days left in my 50s. Wow!
Time flies when you're having fun. Actually, when you get older time flies no matter what you're doing. And, since we have no idea how many days we have left in this life, everyday is a gift, every meal is a banquet and every friend is a joy.

It's a good time to reflect. It's a good time to put the house in order. It's a good time to count blessings.

Friends are important. Do you have any really, really good friends? Friends who will stay with you and have stayed with you over the years through thick and thin, health and illness, fortune and famine? (I am not counting family. Family is different.) I am lucky to have a couple really, really good friends and I am blessed to be able to spend time with them. Do you get to spend time with your friends? Make it so!

Some people come and go from your life, and some people are there for the long haul. Have you ever been reacquainted with someone that you had a strong relationship with years ago but for one reason or the other drifted apart? It's quite a feeling. I recommend it. Estrangement eats away at you, and no one needs that. 

How about being reacquainted with a large group of people that you have stayed in touch with in part but time and distance has kept you from realizing the fruits of your relationship? Last April I participated in a reunion of my Beta Upsilon chapter of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity at the University of Virginia. Our chapter was 50 years old and we came together as a group to celebrate. I saw people that I see regularly and I saw people that I haven't seen in 35 years. It was absolutely wonderful to catch up with these guys and I am convinced that if our circumstances permitted it, we would reestablish our great, great friendships. Some of my best friends to this day are my Pi Kapp Brothers.

What do you like to do? Are you doing what you like to do? I like practicing law because I like helping people, I like serving my community in city government, I like serving my profession, and I like football. I guess I'm doing what I like to do. Are you? Does the day-to-day grind keep you from enjoying your life? If so, my advice is to change that pattern and do what you like to do. Life is too short.

What would you do if you did not have to work to earn money to pay your bills ? I have a friend who has already retired to a golf course in Florida. If I was healthy, I still couldn't do that (for any more than a month or two.) I  have thought about this a lot and came to the conclusion that I would probably do exactly what I'm doing now – staying busy trying to help, serve my community and serve my profession .  I am fortunate that I am in a position where I can do this so long as I make enough to cover my basic monthly bills.   Not everybody else can do this. Many of my generation  are going to be faced with this problem as regular pensions (defined benefit plans) are fading away, 401(k) plans are being whipsawed by the market and the retirement age for Social Security is raised . We all need to find something we like to do and do it. 

Do you go to church? Do you have some sort of spiritual life? I do and I hope you do.  My church is my home away from home. My great great grandmother has a stained-glass window in my church. Other churches may have more to offer, but my church is my church. My church family is for real and I rely on them as they rely on me.

Friends, Functions and Faith. Good Subjects for reflection. Wonder what my 60's will be like?

TLR.

Reflections on the ABA in Toronto

After I experience something new, something I haven't done before, I typically go through a decompression of a day or two. During this time, I reflect on all the things that I witnessed, heard, saw and thought during the experience. I am nearing the end of this reflection following my first ever trip to Toronto, Ontario, Canada for the annual meeting of the American Bar Association. Now that I am writing this blog, I can put some of my thoughts down in case anybody is interested.

My new position as Vice President of the Kentucky Bar Association afforded me the opportunity to make this trip and participate in the meetings of the Southern Conference of Bar Presidents, the National Association of Bar Presidents, and the ABA. An added bonus to this trip was the fact that Erlanger resident in good friend William T (Bill) Robinson III was assuming the position of President of the ABA and I would be there to participate and observe.

I drove to and from Toronto as I needed my scooter to participate fully in the events and since the drive really isn't that far. On the way up I went Interstate 75 to Detroit and took a right turn through Ontario. The trip took about 10 hours and was 520 miles or so. 75 is a mess, especially with all the trucks, and Detroit was a little difficult to navigate. The drive through Ontario was very bucolic and, frankly, boring. On the way back, the route was different. Toronto to Niagara to Buffalo to Erie, PA to Cleveland and 71 S. there was much more to see and I thought the drive was easier. This route was about 530 miles, plus or minus, and took about 10 hours.

Toronto is a large, metropolitan city, with ethnic diversity, and the number of attractions worth visiting. My hotel was the Intercontinental and my room had a view of the CN Tower with its nightly light show and the Rogers center, formerly known as SkyDome, home of the Blue Jays and Argonauts of the CFL. The rest of the Kentucky delegation was housed in the Fairmont Royal York, an older hotel with old world charm. However, old world charm does not translate into handicap accessible bathrooms and showers, and I choose cleanliness and accessibility over charm. The streets in the sections of Toronto that I visited were filled with interesting restaurants, bistros, pubs, shops, and hotels/inns. People watching was outstanding as there was a great diversity in the scenery. Every group I passed seemed to have a different language and different manner of dress. Lake Ontario forms the southern border of the city. I noticed that the city was fairly clean, a great deal of construction activity, and is very few visible law enforcement officers. The closest thing to a disagreement I observed was an incident between two cabdrivers arguing over one touching the others vehicle!

Thursday and Friday were filled with meetings with bar leaders from around the country. The Southern Conference meetings were Thursday and I met some great people, people I hope to be friends with for a long time. There's something about people from the South. The Kentucky Bar president, Maggie Keane,  served as the head of the Southern Conference this year (it rotates from state to state) and we will host the fall meeting in October in Lexington. In addition to our meetings, the Kentucky Bar will show its friends such Kentucky Classics as a day at Keeneland and a trip to the Woodford Reserve distillery near Versailles.

In the first meeting each state bar organization was given the opportunity to address the group for three or 4 min. and give highlights of the past year or so. Some states have unified bars, like Kentucky, where every lawyer with a license in that state must belong to the Bar Association. Other states have two bar associations, one for disciplinary purposes that is an agency of their Supreme Court and the other for other justice related activity, continuing education, lawyer assistance programs and the like. After the general meeting the group broke into breakout sessions: the vice presidents and presidents elect met, the current presidents met, and the past presidents were a third group. Issues common to each group were raised and discussed such as mentoring, computerized legal research, member benefits and access to justice programs. Later that evening a reception was held which gave the participants a better opportunity to get to know each other – and families were involved.

I did not enjoy the National Association meetings as much as I did the Southern Conference meetings. In fact, at 10 AM on Friday I made the decision to attend another program in a different building – a program on the need to encourage civics education in American schools. It was said that most Americans can name the three American Idol judges but none of the justices of the United States Supreme Court, and that is sad. As I was waiting on my scooter to enter the room, a tall gentleman was in front of me talking to a group of people. As he sensed me behind him with an apparatus, he turned and with a smile introduced himself: Associate Justice Stephen Breyer of the United States Supreme Court. Shortly after being stunned with that introduction, I felt a hand on my shoulder and heard a lady ask if I needed her to get the justice out of the way – it was retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Therefore, quite unintentionally and while playing hooky from a meeting, I was privileged to meet two important jurists. What a lucky guy!

Incoming president Bill Robinson appointed me to the ABA Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law. I was able to attend a couple of functions involving members of the commission, got to meet some of the people and learned about the workings of that group. Everyday is a learning opportunity at the ABA and a chance to meet outstanding people.

Saturday and Sunday presented some opportunities to sightsee a bit, check out some shopping venues, explore a nearby brewery and eat at some interesting places. The weather was mostly great and a lot of the eating was outside under umbrellas. I don't imagine they get to do that for a long time in Canada.

The highlight of the meeting for me, besides inadvertently meeting Supreme Court justices, was the installation of Bill Robinson as president of the ABA. At 4 PM on Monday afternoon, in the middle of a House of delegates session where resolutions were being debated, the proceedings were halted and Bill Robinson was escorted to the podium by the Kentucky delegation in attendance and other ABA members of Bill's choosing while the entire house stood with applause. After escorting Bill, we took seats at the other side of the podium and listened while outgoing president Steve Zack from Miami introduced bill and handed him the gavel. Building gave his "inaugural address" to the crowd. Afterwards, many pictures were taken in the house of delegates resumed its activity. I was impressed with the entire process and, being a newbie to ABA proceedings, took it all in.

Next year's annual meeting is scheduled for Chicago in early August and, the good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, I will be President-elect of the Kentucky bar and in attendance.

Several have asked me why the ABA will hold its annual meeting out of the country, and that is a valid question. I asked it myself. The answer I was given is that the ABA and the Canadian equivalent work very well together and many members of the Canadian bar attend ABA meetings. Therefore, every once in a while the annual meeting or another meeting is held in Canada to recognize this degree of cooperation.

All in all, the trip was a positive experience for me. I made many contacts and was able to network with attorneys from all parts of the country. I gained insight as to other state courts and their organized bars and realized that Kentucky doesn't take a backseat to any of them. We seem to be ahead of the curve on many issues. The food was great; the networking was great; the scenery was great and the weather, for the most part, held its own.

I like being around lawyers who get involved in their profession. I find these people to be engaging, intelligent and driven. I have always been impressed with the character of the people who choose to get involved. In general they are great people, important figures in their community, and have their heads and hearts in the right place. Service to others. Setting and obtaining goals. Helping those who need help. Teaching in local schools, serving on local nonprofit boards, assisting charities, involved with their churches, synagogues and mosques. I have always felt privileged to be an attorney and, in particular, a Kentucky attorney, and being around these people adds fuel to the fire.