The Tao of “do”

The Tao of “do” As a student of philosophy, I have been exposed to an endless number of theories and systems for understanding the universe; most end up swimming in circles. However, there is a certain small green animated character whose philosophical utterances have gained increasing notice for their brevity and pithiness. Nope, not Kermit – Yoda. The simple power of a statement like “do, or do not, there is no try” can stay with you for a long time, and find endless applications. Law school seems to be a great place to put this thought into action. Trying is simply not enough here. On the other hand, there is also a certain inevitability encapsulated in this idea as well – one can only do so much, and to try to exceed the inherent limits of the human condition can lead only to frustration.This is not an idea that can be limited to the classroom. Although, like any good student, I put my classes toward the top of my priority list, there are a lot of other activities that make up the life of a law student. In my case, I have musical projects, athletic pursuits, volunteering, student government and personal relationships that all demand time and effort that must be carefully apportioned. Finding the correct balance of all these activities is likely to involve some trial and error, but the bottom line comes back to what Yoda says so succinctly. Or, in the even more concise words of a local athletics company – “just do it”. So on top of a full schedule of classes, which are mostly interesting and enjoyable, I’ve been taking time in the evenings for playing music and exercising, and have dedicated my weekends to more than simply getting ahead on the reading.The past few weekends, this has meant getting up early on Saturday to pack the car with a three person raft and associated gear, and heading for the nearby scenic rivers of Oregon with some close friends.We’ve rafted on the Willamette, the Clackamas and now have expanded our travels to include the McKenzie River as well. Spending some time in nature, absorbed in floating and paddling, has been a great escape from the otherwise never-ending reading opportunities that law school provides. Shooting down a class III rapid and flying out of the boat is thrilling and engaging in a way that more sedentary pursuits simply can’t match. It’s also one more example of how Yoda’s wisdom has practical application. When you decide to raft down a stretch of river, you can’t merely try to do it – you either do it or you don’t.This little bit of time away has left me feeling truly refreshed and ready to charge back into class materials on Sundays; I highly recommend that law students set aside one day each week for non-law pursuits when possible. This is one piece of advice I heard from many more experienced students, and so far I feel it is serving me well.