There's this old saying that, if you aren't particularly gifted

Bernhard Schlink, himself both a jurist and a storyteller, spoke with humility and irony when he said: “There's this old saying that, if you aren't particularly gifted in natural sciences, if you don't want to become a teacher or pastor or doctor, and don't know what else to do, then you become a lawyer. But I've never regretted it.” Behind these words lies the tension between profession and calling, between the accidents of choice and the meaning that later grows from them. He acknowledges the jest that the path of law may be chosen not from passion but from lack of other direction—yet he affirms, with quiet strength, that even so, the path can become honorable and fulfilling.

The origin of this reflection is deeply tied to Schlink’s own life. A German lawyer and judge, he later became world-renowned as the author of The Reader, a novel that explored guilt, memory, and the moral weight of history. His path into law may have seemed at first ordinary, even accidental, but it became the soil from which profound thought and enduring art would grow. Thus his quote embodies a paradox: even when one’s beginning is uncertain, the journey itself may reveal the depth of one’s vocation.

History provides many echoes of this truth. Consider Cicero, who may not have been destined from birth to law and politics, yet through rhetoric and reasoning, he became Rome’s greatest orator and defender of justice. His choice of law gave him not only a profession but also a platform to preserve the ideals of the Republic. Or recall Abraham Lincoln, who studied law not out of prestige but as a path upward from poverty. What began as practical survival became the foundation for moral leadership that would preserve a nation. So too with Schlink: from law came not only a career, but also the insight that would shape literature and history.

The emotional heart of Schlink’s statement lies in the phrase: “But I've never regretted it.” This is more than resignation—it is gratitude. He accepts that his choice of law may not have been born of brilliance in science or zeal for medicine, but he discovered within it meaning enough to sustain a life’s work. Here is wisdom: regret does not come from choosing a path humbly, but from refusing to embrace it fully once chosen. By devoting himself to his profession and to the questions of justice it raised, he transformed what might have been a fallback into a destiny.

The quote also touches upon the humility of beginnings. Too often, people believe that their career must be chosen from a blinding passion or heroic certainty. Yet Schlink reminds us that it is not always so. Many stumble into their professions by chance, by necessity, or by lack of other options. But what matters is not how the path begins, but how one walks upon it. Even a road chosen without fire can be walked with integrity, and through integrity, it becomes sacred.

The lesson is clear: do not despise small or uncertain beginnings. If your choice of work feels accidental, remember that meaning is not always present at the start—it is often discovered through commitment, perseverance, and reflection. What may seem an ordinary choice can still be the vessel of extraordinary growth. Schlink found law, but in law, he also found questions of morality, humanity, and truth that would guide his writing and shape his legacy.

Practically, this means embracing the path you find yourself on with diligence and openness. If you are uncertain of your direction, do not despair. Begin where you are, and in walking, you will uncover meaning. If you are already on your path, even if chosen by chance, invest in it with sincerity, for in giving yourself fully to your work, you may discover treasures you never imagined. Regret is not defeated by better choices, but by deeper commitment.

Thus, Bernhard Schlink’s words echo as an ancient reminder: a calling is not always revealed at the beginning, but often along the way. Whether chosen through passion or accident, your path can become your destiny if you walk it with faithfulness and courage. Do not despise where you begin, for in the journey lies the true unfolding of your life.