Last year, my friend, Steven Grant, noticed an unusually unhappy expression on my face. When I confided in him about the strong displeasure in my career, he empowered me with an activity he participated in church. He suggested writing a letter to God (or the Universe or whatever deity you believe in) around the New Year and thank Him for everything He gave that year. The churchgoers would then open the letter on Christmas and read the letters out loud, marveling in all the wonderful gifts they received. The requests, obviously, have to be humble and realistic. Believe me, I thought about asking for a million dollars, too.

Instead, I asked the Universe for only one thing: happiness in my job.

Did you guys ever wonder why I never talked about my job as a lawyer? I mean, this is my photography blog, of course, but I work as an attorney above and beyond anything else. I never spoke about my job because I worked in an oppressive environment that stifled my energy and creativity. It sucked all the brain cells out of me. I don’t want to talk smack about my former job because really, I learned a lot from the experience and applied everything I acquired there to my current and beloved position. I accepted a job at a law firm in Houston with people that value and appreciate me. I have grown immensely as an attorney, and I have the opportunity now to counsel clients–real people, not corporations–on various aspects of the law. Can I tell you how deliriously happy I feel when a fellow photographer approaches me to help them with copyright claims?

When I opened my letter to the Universe on Christmas 2009, a satisfied smile replaced the grim expression from earlier in the year. I finally got the gift I longed for all these years. All I had to do was ask.

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