"It is the story of the parent who has two children. One is an avowed optimist, happy no matter his circumstances. The other is an avowed pessimist, miserable most of the time.
The parent, trying to bring both children back to center, fills the pessimist's room with a host of toys, games and electronic gadgets known to delight even the fussiest child. In the room of the optimist, although he hated to have to do it, the parent places piles of horse manure. The child has to learn, the parent believes, that sometimes life just stinks.
The parent waits a short while, and then ventures into the pessimist's room. There he finds the child standing in the corner, arms folded in front of him, scowling. The boy says, "How dare you patronize me with these petty offerings?" The parent shrugs sadly, and proceeds tot he optimist's room. There, he is astonished to find his child whistling while at work, busily spraying room freshener and shoveling the manure into a corner. The parent asks in amazement, "Child, in the midst of all this, how can you possibly maintain so cheerful and hopeful an outlook?" The little boy replies with great sincerity and strength of purpose, "Papa, don't you get it? With all this horse manure, there's got to be a pony somewhere!"
Do you see the analogy to your present circumstance? Amidst the volumes that you must shovel and store, there are ponies. The rewards will come. There will be joys and privileges in your chosen life's work. No matter how jaded or cynical you may feel at times, the law is a most noble profession, and it will afford tremendous opportunities for you to do well and, most of all, to do good.
In the days ahead, do not let anyone or anything, and certainly not an exam or a grade, diminish your capacity to feel enthusiasm for this craft and your place in it. Your work will be everything that you have hoped it would be. You deserve nothing less."
With your heart and mind wide open, keep looking for the ponies.