There is a tendency in our profession to treat the practice of law as all consuming, while losing sight of everything else. But that makes for a shallow and unfulfilling life. I worked hard as a lawyer and a professor. I owed that to my clients, my students, and myself. But i never let the law define my identity or crowd out the rest of my life. A similar principle applies to the role of courts. Courts have a vital responsibility to the rule of law, which is critical to a free society. But courts are not designed to solve every problem or right every wrong in our public life. The policy decisions and value judgments of government must be made by the political branches elected by and accountable to the people. The public should not expect courts to do so, and courts should not try. That is the approach i have strived to follow as a judge on the seventh circuit. In every case i have carefully considered the arguments presented by the parties, discussed the issues with my colleagues on th