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When two people really
love each other, but they just can’t seem to get it together, when do
you say, “Enough is enough?”
--From the movie “The
Mexican”
If you’ve seen the movie
“The Mexican,” then you know what answer is presented to the above
question in the movie world. For the sake of this article, try to come
up with your own answer. (The “right” answer presented by
Hollywood,
by the way, is “never.”)
Just think
about it on your own. Everybody’s line for “enough is enough” is as
different as their fingerprints. How much would you tolerate? How hard
do you work for no solid improvement?
Now, let’s
rephrase the question.
When you
volunteer for a group or organization you really love, but they just
can’t seem to get anywhere, when do you say, “Enough is enough?” I am
sure this is a question that every volunteer asks him or her self from
time to time. Many groups are led by just a few unrecognized people who
work to do their best with limited resources and no appreciation. Some
have gone by the wayside, some are extremely effective, and some are no
longer effective, but continue to go through the motions. When, as a
volunteer, do you say, “enough is enough?”
Let’s try it
another way.
When you
work to participate in government to improve your community, and all
your efforts are rewarded by complaints or nothing seems to get better,
when do you say, “Enough is enough?” I am sure several elected officials
have asked themselves that question.
So, when do you give up
on a relationship, when do you give up on the social efforts, when do
you give up on government?
Sometimes, I
think people give up too easily. Sometimes, I have thought folks were
trying to ride a dead horse. On occasion, I’ve seen that horse jump up
and run. Some people never give up. Some people gave up a long time ago.
I can’t say
when people should give up on government, on family, on serving the
community, on working unpaid to serve the greater good. Each person has
their own breaking point, I think.
Hollywood
would tell us we should never give up on love, never lose faith in
democracy, never lose pride in our community.
Hollywood
would tell us to find a way.
And maybe
Hollywood
is right. Maybe the answer is “never.”
And maybe, it is "now."
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