When a stranger calls . . .

It happened again. The random phone call out of the blue that sends my head spinning and my heart wrenching. I know I should expect the calls since my contact information is listed, as I am required to do. What pray tell does this to me every few months? A simple phone call from someone looking for a patent, copyright and trademark lawyer; looking for someone to help them with an invention, a story, a logo for their company. As a registered patent lawyer, my registration and contact information is listed on the United States Patent and Trademark website. Not surprisingly, people call.



I generally speak with them for a few minutes. Explain that I am, for the most part, retired. I give them the name of an attorney friend at a big firm downtown who can either help them or direct them to another lawyer. I usually answer a few questions about patents or copyrights, but cannot give them advice without them formally retaining me as their attorney.



So why emotional roller coaster? Because every time I take one of these calls, I second guess my choice to be mostly retired. I enjoy the projects that arise every now and then from past clients and my former firm, but I've made the decision to no longer practice full time. It would be quite a commute into the city, my better half travels most of the time and the boys were developing an aversion to nannies, so it was my time to put my career on the back burner while Terry's takes off.



But the rush that I get when I talk to an inventor about their project - the adult conversation, the confidence I feel at discussing something that dominated my life for over fifteen years. In my selfish mind, I am sure I am a much better patent attorney than I am stay-at-home mom. Weren't my boys better off when I was working? Wasn't I a better person when I worked full time?



Maybe I should touch up my resume. Maybe I need to look into getting another au pair. Maybe I should hang my own shingle in my neighborhood. Maybe I should brush up on the most recent changes in the laws and regulations. Wouldn't that paycheck be so wonderful so we could again have new cars, and more vacations? And oh how I would love to go shopping for all of those darling work clothes and snazzy shoes.



But, alas, I take a deep breath, count to ten and give myself a reality check. Not right now. It really is okay to stay home with the boys. They love having mom around. They love not having a nanny. They love that I cook them dinner and take them to practices and help them with their homework. They love that if they need to talk to me, I'm in the next room - not a phone call away. I love not having work issues hover over my head all day and all night. Legal issues never take a break, nor do the lawyers who deal with them. I love not having to clear my calendar to attend a school function.



I was a great person and a great mom when I worked full time. And I was a darn good lawyer . . . still am. But I am also a great person and a great mom staying home with the boys for now. Both paths were and are right. And it is okay when that phone rings to want to put my lawyer hat back on and remember when . . . and okay that when I hang up from that call, I can set lawyering aside and be just as proud to be mom.