All Functions in Life Have a Cutoff Point

The other day I went to the Lane County Elections office to give them my updated address, because we vote by mail here (weird, huh?). As I walked in, an older man was rushing into the office and made a beeline for the first attendant.

"I need to register to vote!" He exlaimed.

The calm, burly man behind the counter explained that the last day to register was October 4th, but perhaps he had registered before and could simply update his address.

"No. I've never registered to vote. I need to vote!"

The two went back and forth a bit, and finally I heard the attendant say, "All functions in life have a cut off point."

This statement sent me soaring into my own thoughts, and I didn't hear the wannabe voter's response. First I was struck by the truth that this election is bringing people out of the woodwork. This man had NEVER registered to vote, an idea completely foreign to me. He was at least sixty years old. But something about this election was sending him into a frenzy. He acted like people do in the ER when their child's head is bleeding out, as though this was a matter of life or death.

The election attendant is right. There is a cutoff point, but not just for registering to vote. For all functions in life. This has been a year filled with both exciting new beginnings and very sad, difficult goodbyes. The old cliche is true.. as one door closes, another opens. You can't hang in the rafters forever gazing at a bunch of doors left slightly ajar. It's often hard to identify the cutoff point. When do I say "ok, I'm going to end this now" or "This is the time to start something new." It's a difficult course to chart, but making those definitive decisions is what allows us to change and grow.