Jimmy Lai | Oklahoma Lawyer

"I should probably get my citizenship sorted out first," she mentioned casually, almost as an afterthought.

My ears perked up. As a non-immigrant visa holder myself, I knew that tone all too well.

We met in the most unexpected place.

Not in my law office. Not through a referral.

In a coaching community where we were both working on completely different goals.

Life has a funny way of connecting the right people at the right time.

She had been eligible for citizenship for years.

"I keep telling myself I'll do it next year," she said.

But next year kept becoming next year.

As someone who checks my visa expiration date more often than I'd like to admit, I understood her hesitation completely.

The renewal anxiety. The what-ifs. The feeling of being perpetually temporary.

When she finally decided to move forward, I watched something shift in her entire demeanor. The weight of "temporary" started lifting with each step of the process.

Three months of preparation. Countless practice questions. Last minute encouragement.

And soon, she will be raising her right hand and took her oath of allegiance.

I'm not ashamed to say I got emotional receiving news she passed the exam. The moment when years of uncertainty melted into pure joy.

That smile. That relief. That sense of finally, truly belonging.

Here's what I've learned helping people navigate this journey while walking it myself:

The hardest part isn't the paperwork.

It's giving yourself permission to dream bigger than your current status.

Every day you wait is another day living smaller than you have to.

To anyone who's been eligible but waiting: Stop waiting.

Your dreams don't have expiration dates, but your reasons for delaying them do.

To my fellow immigrants still in process: I see the weight you carry. I feel it too.

There's something profound about helping others achieve the dream you're still chasing.

Being trusted with someone's path to citizenship?

That's not legal work.

That's sacred work.

P.S. Looking forward to seeing her picture after her naturalization ceremony.

3 months ago | [YT] | 0