Today’s blog
Lynn Murphy Mark
A brief conversation
Yesterday I went to work somewhat discouraged. I have discovered a huge mistake that I made filing one of my cases. It’s the kind of mistake that cost the client money, delayed the processing, and requires a whole new ream of documents. I spoke to my supervisor about it, and offered the client the option of having another person in our department continue with the case. My supervisor reminded me that we all make mistakes, and told me a story of a time that she did almost the same thing. That was small consolation, but I appreciate her honesty. I have not heard back from the client. At her expense, I learned a big lesson about her particular kind of immigration case. I will not make the same mistake again.
I have made small mistakes in my new career, ones that were fairly easily corrected, ones that were “rookie” mistakes that just about everyone makes at one time or another. Immigration law is a complicated field for which I have a great deal of respect. I do not hesitate to ask questions of my boss or of my immigration attorney ex-boss in Florida. These two women are walking encyclopedias of expertise in the field and are always willing to be consulted.
So yesterday was a gloomy day inside my little office. There was a small black cloud hovering over me as I did what was in front of me to do. I spent some time researching next steps for my client’s case in the event that she wants me to continue with it, but I am fully prepared to turn it over. Finally I reviewed my entire collection of 40 cases to make sure I hadn’t dropped the ball anywhere else. Basically, I wallowed in my discouragement, just as I am doing now. I suppose writing about it is therapeutic.
After I got home I got a voicemail from a physician who is a part of a case I am working on. This is a case to get a young man from India his citizenship. The challenge is that he is severely autistic and is unable cognitively to study the 100 civics questions that are part of the interview he must pass to gain citizenship. Immigration Services does allow for disability exceptions if a physician will fill out a complicated form describing the reasons why a client should get a disability accommodation.
After 46 years in health care I know how hard it is to ask a busy physician to give the several hours that it takes to fill out the form. The client’s father and I have been waiting weeks for the form to be completed. I was dog-tired after my day at the office but this was a call that had to be returned.
The conversation that ensued made my day “all better”. First of all, the doctor apologized for calling so late on a Friday afternoon. I about fell off my chair when he said that. Then the doctor asked his questions about the proper procedure with this form, and was interested enough to have me explain how the form would help his patient become a citizen.
He thanked me for working in the field of immigration. “I’m a first generation American myself.”, he said. His family left Europe to flee the Holocaust. He keeps his grandfather’s admission papers framed on a wall in his living room. He wants them there to remember what it took for his family to escape horrific persecution. He sees it as a reminder of the grace of God that flowed for his relatives and guided them to safety.
The call ended. I realized that God’s grace had just visited me in the form of a simple conversation.