The Last Straw Part 3
June 24, 2025
The Last Straw Part 3
Did you ever reach a last straw with yourself? I sure have. These are the times when we do something repeatedly with the same disappointing results. But after so much pain, there comes one final time that we “swear” a la Scarlett O’Hara that, “As God is my witness, I’ll never do such and such, again.” Scarlett did not directly cause her hunger, but she gives a good example of radically changing our behavior after we reach the last straw.
We genuinely change our approach only when it’s the last straw with ourselves. This last straw is tantamount to reaching a critical mass of suffering. But self-induced suffering is at our own hands, not someone else’s.
When we reach the last straw with ourselves, we have the chance to accept the blame and make a commitment not to let this happen again. But we won’t take that opportunity unless we are conscious of how we caused our suffering and why we repeated the same scenario for so long.
When we reach the last straw, we can have self-contempt, and consciously or unconsciously punish ourselves. But if we finally realize why we kept inflicting pain on ourselves, instead of punishing ourselves, we can administer a dose of self-compassion. Consciousness and self-compassion go hand in hand.
I have a dear friend who knew that he was overweight, but he denied it. When his clothes no longer fit and he huffed and puffed while playing with his grandchild, he didn’t take warnings. He went on diet after diet, but they lasted only until the next big occasion when he gave in to the tempting foods. One day, people were passing around photographs on their phones, and my friend saw himself in a family picture.
He was shocked at his size. It was the last straw. He went on a nutritional plan, but instead of belittling or punishing himself, he tried to understand why he let things go so far. Eventually, he realized that his father had died not too long ago and that his overeating was tied to profound grief. This helped my friend be compassionate with himself. After this realization, he affirmed his conviction that he’d be happier and healthier for himself as well as for the people he loves if he turned a new leaf. I admire this dear man who now takes good care of himself.
Every last straw can be a new beginning.
Spiritual practice: Go to YouTube and watch the 1-minute clip of Scarlett O’Hara’s scene in “Gone With The Wind,” called “As God is my witness…” Can you identify with this moment in any way? If so, in what way?
Self-inquiry: Why do you always _________ and get the same awful results every time? Fill in the blank and ask this of yourself several times, and see how deeply your soul responds.
Dear God,
I am grateful to my friend for letting me put his story into this reflection. I also thank you that he is an example of consciousness and self-compassion. He shows me how to move through the obstacles of our false self. Amen
