Your Rope

When I was growing up, I used to collect quotes.  All throughout high school and college, and even after, I'd enjoy finding new quotes - whatever spoke to me at the time - and writing them down for later reflections.  In fact, every day during my study hall in the 11th grade, I would go into my English teacher's classroom and write a new quote on the chalkboard.  I never even thought anyone paid attention to them until I missed a day or two for whatever reason and my English teacher told me that several people asked why there wasn't a new quote up there.  That put a smile on my face because I thought maybe someone else took something away from one of the quotes I shared, and it just made me happy.  I know, you are all thinking "nerd alert!"  But what can I say, I like other peoples' profound words, and they even come in handy sometimes. 

Well, the other day I found my old quotes journal.  I started reading through it last night, or rather early this morning, when I was trying to fall asleep.  I came across one quote that I thought I would share.  I'm not sure if it was actually written by Thomas Jefferson or not, historians appear divided.  Some say it was Abraham Lincoln, others say it was FDR, and some still say it was the great TJ (so I'll just hope it was TJ since he is the founder of my great University and just a plain ol' genius).  They were all great men and offered many contributions to society so it doesn't really matter.  But here goes:  "When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on."

That's about where I am at right now.  I've tied a knot, probably more like several knots now, just to hang on.  Today, I actually got out of the house to go to lunch with my sister-in-law AND decided to brave going to get a haircut.  Getting a haircut was probably the first actual thing I've done by myself without the company of anyone else.  I've run errands with Doug and my Mom to various places, but I had yet to actually drive myself somewhere and do something just for myself and by myself.  And I survived it.  I didn't have any breakdowns or freakouts along the way.  So that in and of itself is an accomplishment - I'll take it.  The knot is holding strong for now.  As my cousin told me, "one lap at a time" in response to my writings on swimming through the abyss. 

Perhaps I will share different quotes each day as they speak to me.  Maybe one of them will bring a smile to your face as you think about it or reflect on it.  Other people are much more profound than I am and obviously write better since we still quote them to this day, so why not continue to share their words of wisdom?  After all, where would we be without the Thoreaus, Kellers, Jeffersons, and Churchills of the world....