The Last Straw

“The straw that broke the camel’s back” is an old, familiar proverb with which we all have had some experience. Like taking that last bite of dessert at the end of an otherwise satisfying dinner; it pushes us from being fulfilled to being miserably bloated. Or it’s that last drink – just one more – that turns a fun evening into the morning’s hangover.

Such “straws” are overcome with antacids or aspirin, but other breakdowns aren’t as easily negotiated. For instance, someone manages her work, household, and usual routine with ease, until her father is diagnosed with cancer. She is devastated, but marshals her strength and carries on to the amazement of onlookers. Next, her teenage son is expelled from school; and her husband loses his job; and her oldest child drops out of college. Miraculously, she holds…