By Daniella Price
In my journey to becoming a lawyer, I vividly remember a seasoned county attorney asking me where I wanted to practice law. I was slightly puzzled by the question because I thought the obvious answer was Pennsylvania. So, I hesitantly answered, “I want to be a Philadelphia lawyer.” The attorney, sensing my confusion responded: “You have to decide, do you want to be a big fish in a little pond or a small fish in a big pond or ocean of lawyers?” He followed up, “There are sharks in the ocean.” Still confused and only slightly more confident, I stood firm in knowing I wanted to be a Philadelphia lawyer. But the question always lingered in the back of my mind: What did fish, sharks, and the ocean have to do with the practice of law? Over seven years later, it would all come together. I would have what Oprah would call an “Aha! moment.”
In June 2022, I had the privilege to travel to San Pedro, Belize. The Belize Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the northern hemisphere and the world’s second largest. The Belize Barrier Reef is one of the most highly desired tourist destinations for activities such as diving, snorkeling, sailing, and fishing.
While in Belize, I could not pass up the opportunity to experience one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. So, I went snorkeling for the first time. It was amazing! I saw a breathtaking coral reef contrasted against the dark depths of the ocean and swam alongside colorful fish and sting rays. After snorkeling, I boarded the vessel and we escaped deeper into the ocean. Still on a high from snorkeling, I never noticed that Scuba Steve, the captain and scuba diving instructor, had stopped the boat in the middle of the ocean. Scuba Steve had profound knowledge and respect for the ocean and coral reef. Scuba Steve began throwing little fish into the water and within minutes the boat was surrounded by Tiger sharks swimming to the surface. Scuba Steve encouraged the adventurous to jump in and gave three instructions: Don’t panic, breathe, and don’t overcrowd the sharks. The two scuba divers on the excursion jumped into the shark infested waters without hesitation. Meanwhile, I sat on the sidelines contemplating and questioning my decision-making skills. I asked my snorkeling guide, Abraham, if he would hold my hand if I jumped in. Somehow, I convinced myself that if I was going to risk my life, I was going to do it holding the hand of a man bearing the biblical name of Abraham — surely, God would protect me.
Abraham extended his hand, I held on for dear life, and I jumped in! I was in awe at the size and number of sharks. To my surprise, underneath the surface there were small fish swimming alongside the sharks. These small fish were unafraid and confidently taking up space among the sharks. The only species who was surprised was me. A large shark began circling beneath us and the reality of swimming with sharks set in. I began to panic and as if on cue, I remembered the instructions of Scuba Steve: Don’t panic, breathe, and don’t overcrowd the sharks. Eventually (or luckily), another vessel pulled next to our boat and began feeding the sharks. The sharks, true to their nature, showed no loyalty and followed the food. I boarded the boat in disbelief that I possessed the courage to swim with sharks. On the ride back to shore, I had so many revelatory moments. Often times, in the practice of law when traversing shark infested waters, we can be guided by Scuba Steve’s instructions: Don’t panic, breathe, and give the sharks room to be sharks. After all, everyone recognizes a shark from the surface. I also gained perspective. In the ocean and life, we sometimes focus on the sharks at the surface. But when panic sets in, we must breathe and look beyond the surface. Because it is then that we will see that even the smallest fish can swim mightily along with the sharks.
Daniella Price is an attorney at Levy Baldante Finney & Rubenstein P.C.
