How to start life from scratch at the age of 49

Are you afraid to ’take the plunge’ and change your life because ’the time has passed’?

The hero of this story that Bright Side would like to share with you proved that it’s never too late to start living your life. At 49, Andrew left his job, changed his lifestyle, and became a student. Now, four years later, he received a law degree, which has been his dream for a lifetime. Here is his story.

My sister saw an ad in a newspaper about a vacancy for a notary assistant who could type quickly without looking at the keys. She phoned me, and said, ’You can type well, and you’ve always dreamed of being a lawyer. Try — maybe this is your chance?’ Indeed, when I was young, my dream career was to become a lawyer. But changing your life path when you’re almost 50? It seemed so strange, and I was very afraid.

I’m a chemist, but even during college days I worked in the supply chain. This profession fed me, and although I was not very interested in this job, it let me choose my own schedule. Suppliers are always needed, and I needed to work as close to home as possible so that I could take care of my parents who were very sick.

After 40, having lost my mother and then my father, I thought I could change my job or maybe even pursue a second career. For the first time I had time for myself, time to dream and plan. But I couldn’t imagine how I could make a career in jurisprudence, or imagine myself walking into a notary’s office and saying, ’I want to work here.’ Because, after all, this kind of work requires years spent in law school as well as a diploma in law.A lack of inner strength and confidence and the fear that I would look ridiculous and pathetic as a freshman held me back from making a decision.

However, everything turned out this way: I, a 49-year-old man, who had just endured several operations on my joints, walked into the notary’s office with a cane and said, ’Do you need an assistant? Hire me! I can type using all my fingers without looking at the keyboard. I am not a lawyer, but I managed to win at the court of arbitration in a dispute with a failed bank where I had my savings. I know the law very well.’ I felt surprisingly confident. I did not have high salary expectations, and I honestly said, ’I’m ready to start working for basically any amount of money.’ My future boss listened quietly, and then he asked me to perform a test job: to type a short text. And then he invited me to work, saying, ’Your salary will be $350. If you are able to prove yourself, the figure will grow.’ The next day I became an attorney’s assistant.

I was happy. For many years I led a double life: I worked as a wealth manager, but I devoted all my free time to studying law and reading the Civil Code before bedtime. The reason for such a passionate interest in law was my longtime struggle against bureaucracy officials. I acted as a self-taught lawyer whilst demanding fair and just decisions for myself and my friends. My fascination began with an unsuccessful appointment with a notary, who, when formalizing my inheritance, refused to take into account the benefits of my father, a war veteran. I was outraged. I studied the law, and the truth was on my side. I filed a complaint, and my arguments were convincing. One lawyer even called me to apologize for not delving deeply enough into the details of my case. In the end, we even became friends. He turned out to be a pretty good lawyer.

This case inspired me. I started to help my friends and companions to file claims and correct the text of their contracts. I clearly understood that many officials shamelessly use our legal illiteracy. But we can beat them only with their own weapon: reading the laws carefully, finding an interpretation of ambiguous phrases, and, most importantly, clearly and correctly stating the circumstances on a sheet of paper. Unexpectedly, I started to enjoy this fight. Defending the rights of other people, protecting them from injustice, feeling proud every time I managed to win a case and prove to a city official that you cannot simply get rid of anyone just by filling their heads with mindless technical lawyer talk.

And now, in the notary’s office I began to delve into the work of a legal counsel. I subscribed to e-mail updates on the legislative framework, systematized laws, and regulations in various areas of civil law. I read a lot of literature. And every time I realized more clearly that being an amateur and a professional attorney is not the same thing. I lacked a systematic knowledge base and, most importantly, a law degree, without which I could not think of any promotion in my career. My boss, who has always supported my enthusiasm, started to convince me to receive a legal education. But it was another year before I had decided to enroll in law school. Being a not-so-young bald man, how could I sit next to a young man who did not even have a mustache? This thought worried me. I was afraid of making the wrong choice when choosing a college. I studied the law schools’ ratings, went to exhibits dedicated to a second career, and in the end I enrolled in the National Institute of Law.

Some time passed before I confessed to my coworkers that I had become a student again. I felt uncomfortable. I felt I wouldn’t make it, that it would be too difficult to study. My memory and concentration were no longer the same as before. But I gradually got used to it, and in my three years in college I received a B grade just once — the other grades were excellent. So now I can say with full authority: you can study at any age.

Perfect grades and now a diploma are a source of great satisfaction. I liked to learn and learn well. However, the most important thing for me about my new career is that I made a conscious choice. I didn’t just pick it by mistake like I did in my younger years. I know I can be proud of myself.

My friends have said many times that changing a career at 49 requires some serious motivation and courage because at this age most people are beginning to think about retirement needs. But for me it was the opposite. The decision to change my profession gave me great relief: I no longer needed to work only for the money. And I do have time to achieve my career goals (fortunately, lawyers have no age limitations). What I like about my profession is that a notary is always at the same distance from all participants of an agreement or a legal controversy — he stands above the fray. A prosecutor always accuses, a lawyer always defends, a corporate lawyer guards the interests of his organization. A notary explains rights and obligations to both sides like a referee. This independence attracts me.

I see my purpose in life precisely in helping people exercise their rights. My professional knowledge allows me to defend people from predatory bureaucrats and help restore justice, and this gives me strength and satisfaction.

Within just nine months since I started working at the notary’s office, my paycheck has grown, and the figure kept increasing every three months. I graduated, and now I’m preparing for the bar exam to receive my business card. The future role of attorney seems very attainable. I am fully satisfied with my life, and I know I am where I should be. I managed to fight my fear, I have overcome my psychological complexes, and I have a great incentive. It may sound pretentious, but I want to make my country more comfortable for people and hope that they will have more respect for the law. In other words, I managed to find my true calling in life, and that gives my life a purpose that was missing before.