Past experience has shown that all of us have times in our life where we feel like we’re “close to the edge.” That edge is usually visualized or shown in images as a cliff, most often with an ocean or other large body of water at the bottom. In a variety of conversations held with people who say they are getting “close to the edge,” and indicating that they’re close to going over that edge, whatever it may represent, it’s become clear that none of them consider changing course. They seem to have in their mind that they have to either keep going as they are, and go over that cliff, or they have to stop where they are… or, on rare occasions, they think they can turn back and move away from the edge.
Unfortunately, there are professions and circumstances that don’t allow the option of just stop, or turn around, and it’s not good when anyone goes over that edge. But what other options are there?
Remembering past experiences that have tested us mentally, emotionally and physically, we can likely all remember a time when we felt that we were on that edge; we were on the verge of breaking; we just didn’t know how we could go on. We can also all probably remember times we kept going on anyway. A personal example I’d use would be a force march I had to complete during the Military Police Academy. 20 miles in, carrying a full ruck sack, equipment belt/vest and weapon, I was sure I couldn’t go on. Two miles later, I was still pushing. Two miles after that, I was still going. I was near in tears and felt like I would soon collapse. I just wanted to quit. I didn’t know how much more I could take. A mile later… we were done. I was in tears. I had busted blisters that had been bleeding but I didn’t know it until I took my boots off. I was sure I would never walk again and I had been so close to quitting it wasn’t funny.
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The remainder of this essay can be found in the book “Farther Down The Road”
Farther Down the Road – Where does your life’s road lead?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTJ1B2QR
