Understanding Injuries

Dear Tolkien,

When I was first starting out in Undergrad (I just found out that law school is considered a doctorial program- yes, I know Juris Doctrate is in the name, but…) I decided to be very active. I was under the impression that I could be whoever I wanted to be. Not that I knew who that was (and I’m still working on it), but I was going to try everything I ever wanted to.

So I played Polo. Now, when everyone finds that out, they think I’m galloping down a huge field chasing after a ball with seven other horses after me. That is spring and summer Polo. The Polo I was learning was indoor- because in Pullman it snows half the time (most the time you’re in class).  Now Polo and riding have some risks inherent to the sport. Falling, breaking, and injuries are not uncommon.

People always tell me: Superman was paralyzed by falling off a horse.

It’s scary now, because I was almost paralyzed by a horse. One night I fell, fractured my back and tailbone. So now, at the tender age of 24, I have back problems similar to an old man at the age of 80 (no offense). And like Frodo’s wound from the black blade, it flares up and I find myself in agonizing pain, barely able to function.

I found myself having to grit through it this week. On Tuesday it was just too much and I had to go home to take a warm shower- something to get rid of the pain. The only thing that makes it better is laying down straight, warmth, or standing.

And I took a risk. For the first time I went to openly talk about my situation with my professors.

And they don’t mind. Crotchety old men don’t mind (well, they are actually very sweet). They encourage me to do what I need to do, Torts even asked if there was anything that could be done. They aren’t scary. Law Professors aren't scary. That should be a headline.

But one specifically stood out to me. Somehow, someway, he read me like a book. Like a case. Here is the History, the facts, the statute, the issue, the rule applied, and the holding. Done. But sir, it was done with sincerity and kindness. With understanding. They believe in us (law professors- the ones that are shown telling students they will never be lawyers!) believe we are smart.

I talked a little about you, Sir. Not exactly how much you mean (that was a little too soon) but we talked for a moment about England. He knew how much it meant. “It’s like you found where you belonged. That part that was missing.”Even now I get a little teary.

How do you know something like that? We've been talking less than five minutes, and you know something about me my own family never understood. Is that a superpower?

I wonder, Sir, could you read your students like that? I believe, not because I have this warm, fuzzy image of you, that you could.

You once said that you preferred a dim, hardworking Leeds student to a lazy, intelligent Oxfordian - because the Leeds students put effort and time into what they did, they wanted to get better and learn. I feel as though you cared about them (maybe not during the whole Hobbit episode), and as a wizard you easily could have read them. You could see the ones struggling, the ones that might need some encouragement- some understanding.

So thank you. Thank you for understanding and changing the world for them. I know they appreciated it. I’m sure you want to bash your head against a desk with some- but the ones that were trying so hard, and you were there, thank you.

Sincerely,

N.R.