The Last Straw

The Last Straw

Sometimes we break
We fall apart
And shatter to pieces
The burdens we carry
Become too much to bear
And like that poor camel
With the broken back
Sometimes it is the smallest thing
That causes us 
To crack under pressure
An unkind word
A forgotten task
A single piece of straw
That one thing
We didn’t expect
That pushes us past the brink
And we come undone
But falling apart is ok
Because now we’ve found 
The breaking point
When enough is enough
And maybe next time 
We won’t let it go so far
Before we say
This is the last straw


Words: ©️2019LCR
Image: No Claim
Submitted to: Real Toads - Words to Live By

"You never know what is enough unless you know what is more than enough."
~William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

I stumbled across these particular lines in the quotable quotes section of a Reader's Digest magazine when I was about 18 years old.  I was getting ready to head off to university and they made me laugh.  I thought it was a good quote for those bar nights when you've had one too many.  Over time the quote has taken on a new meaning for me.  That while we can do a lot, we can't do it all.   And once you know what is more than enough, you will know exactly how much you can handle.  Sometimes it is more than you think.


Comments

  1. Its sad that wisdom has to be won that way, but at least something can be salvaged from a bad situation.

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    Replies
    1. The silver lining as they say. Thank you.

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  2. I really like the way you told us how that passage impacted you as a youth and how it does today.

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    1. Thank you. Never did I imagine at the time how it would become something of a mantra for me.

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  3. May we never feel the last straw is placed on our backs or perhaps be strong enough to say "No! that is enough" before it is placed on us.

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    1. Yes. When you know you've had enough to speak up and say no.

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  4. I’m currently experiencing this. I won’t go into detail, but your poem resonates with me, Lori. It doesn’t take much to tip the balance. I agree with the lines:
    ‘Because now we’ve found
    The breaking point
    When enough is enough
    And maybe next time
    We won’t let it go so far
    Before we say
    This is the last straw’
    although I can’t promise myself it won’t happen again.

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    1. I understand. I've found myself saying I've had enough on more than one occasion. I hope things ease for you.

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  5. What a great quote! Maybe next time we will not let it go so far... wisdom comes through experience.

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  6. Experience is a gift that comes with sharp teeth. I love the way your poem reminds us that those teeth can morph from snarl to smile. If we are able to embrace the lesson.

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    1. I like that analogy. In some cases I think it's the smile that becomes a snarl.

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  7. I like that you told us the "rest of the story". It helps to get a personal perspective behind the saying. It is so very true what you say in your poem.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. I find it fits for so many circumstances.

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