M. Nack’s Blog

In 1972 while I was going through my “college drop-out” phase, I was working at Aetna Life & Casualty’s claim department in real estate claims. I thought it was pretty exciting, though you can only be so young once. It was my first real exposure to the world of real estate. I remember at the time seriously entertaining the notion of becoming a lawyer. However, facing 3 more years of college and then 3 years of law school, it seemed hopelessly far off to me. And no one was really supporting me or encouraging me  in the decision. In fact, the exact opposite. It largely had to do with the fact that I was female and lawyers were men. In those days, women were supposed to get married, have babies and let their husbands suppport them. I also vaguely remember someone telling me that there were too many lawyers graduating law school and that becoming a successful lawyer was hopelessly competitive even for men. If that was true in 1972, what would they say of today’s environment!! The field was wide open then compared to today!

This afternoon I was at a symposium comprised largely of female attorneys involved in some aspect of real estate. The more senior members of the group were my age. They tell stories of how the profession was like the wild west in those days. They also share montrous tales of being women in a man’s world.

I don’t regret not becoming a lawyer. Though it’s interesting to wonder how my life would have been different if I had. I suspect I would have ended up in real estate brokerage anyway. Some paths are just meant to be. Then I would have regretted not using my law degree. *sigh*

I never intended to be a radical feminist. I was certainly not a bra-burner! Growing up the daughter of a Navy Captain, I was pretty straight-laced as a young woman. And yet the era in which I grew up thrust that role upon me. My generation is a “sandwich” group. We wanted it all - motherhood and a career. The younger generation, the children that we raised in our spare time, realize that it simply doesn’t work. The older generation doesn’t quite understand what we were trying to do. A young woman in her late 20’s, early 30’s at the symposium today thanked me and a colleague for paving the way for her. That was surprising to me. (“Huh? I did what?”) And touching. As the expression goes, “May you live in interesting times.”

“All Things With Exuberance!”
mary!