The other day I was looking through Facebook and if you know Facebook as you scroll sometimes Facebook makes suggestions of people you might know and can connect with, plus it tells you who in your contacts is following that person, you know “1 mutual friend” things like that. Well as I was scrolling through all the posts, I came across one of those times where Facebook makes suggestions and it happens to have my wife as a mutual friend on one of those suggestions. Now, I am certainly not the jealous type and at my age, I have no time for it, but I went ahead and click on the person. It was, I think a single dad, maybe, and let me tell you, he was a fit, good-looking dad – I am assuming he is a dad since he posts pictures of him and his kids. I scrolled because I was curious and did not see a partner in any of his posts. I did see a lot of shirtless posts, for which I have to give him credit, the guy looks good. I am pretty sure the guy is younger than me not that it matters, but I wanted to point that out. I was thinking to myself why does she have this guy as one of her Facebook connections? I certainly have never heard her talk about him and I have seen him comment or like some of her posts. Now, I might be sounding a little jealous, maybe I am, but like I said 24 years of marriage and at my age, I don’t have the time. The thing is that it made me think as I looked at him and I looked at myself and thought boy have I let myself go. Now, I am not extremely overweight, you can say that I have a “Dads Bod”. But never you mind, the thing is that I said to myself, ok, I need to start doing something and at that point, I wasn’t sure if that was the last straw. That is exactly what I want to talk about, “The Last Straw”, when is it really, truly the “The Last Straw?”
I am sure we have all been through these movements in our life that have taken us to jump on the latest weight-loss trend, or that “New Year Resolution” we make each and every year, something or other we decided to finally do because we believe whatever happens just before that decision was, “The Last Straw”. I mean, how many of us have had a tough relationship, and we decided to get out because whatever that other person did to you, it was “The Last Straw”; only to get back with that person or end up in a similar relationship. How about that day you told yourself you were sick and tired of your boss, your job, because they did not appreciate you and you decided that was “The Last Straw”; only to end up going back to the same job or getting another job where you are still not valued. How about that day you were taking a shower and you saw yourself in the mirror and told yourself, what in the world is this, and you step back and tell yourself that is it, this is “The Last Straw” and begin a rigorous diet and workout routine; only to stop for whatever reason there is and go back to your old habits. The same thing happens, but this time you are walking with your partner and he or she happens to glance at another man or woman, you either get upset or tell yourself, he or she use to look at me that way and that is “The Last Straw”, so you begin working out once again, and jump on the next crazy diet trend; only to once again stop for whatever reason it is now and you either stay with your partner as nothing has happened or move on. How about that time you decided to leave your 9-5 job to start your own business, the excitement was so real, and you planned it for months, maybe you were thinking about this for years, and you finally took the plunge, yah that 9-5 job was “The Last Straw”; only once again for whatever reason, the business did not work and now you are back to that 9-5 job. Maybe it wasn’t all your fault, but you gave it a shot and it wasn’t what you thought it would be. All these experiences are moments in our lives that for whatever reason we decided it was “The Last Straw”, but when is it truly, truly “The Last Straw”?
I mean we hear about all these successful people whether it is in business or love, and you wonder to yourself how did they get there or what is the secret. Sometimes you hear their back story that they were once poor and living on the street, or nearly died in an accident, which changed their lives and they decided at that point it was “The Last Straw”. The question is why do we need to get to that point in our lives to finally say that is “The Last Straw”, why should it be at the cost of losing a job, house, your dignity, or whatever else traumatic happened to finally say I am done, this is not for me, this is “The Last Straw”. I am curious, have you come across a time in your life that with all your heart you decided that whatever happened at that moment was “The Last Straw”, but was it truly, the last straw? How can we be sure, since most of the time we end up back at the same moment in our lives? Is there a way to harness the power of that one moment and push through till the end? I am sure many have done it, and many just can’t get past it. All I know is that I find myself at one of those movements in my life where I decided it was “The Last Straw” again. I once again started to work out, this time I did do it with more contempt, maybe because of what I saw, but the point is I started again and I am not sure if I will find myself right back where I started. I know some say that we are put on this earth for a reason, we are given trials each day of our lives which makes us stronger, but is it wrong to wish for a “break” – I don’t think so, but who knows.
Thanks for reading and I leave you with this thought, “If you find yourself at a point in your life that you said to yourself this is “The Last Straw”, but later you are right back at the same point you started, please don’t feel bad. You are not alone; all I can say at this point is, keeping moving forwarded – don’t give up”.