My father-in-law calls me a workaholic. Others call me focused. Still others label me as being single-minded. The reason for the labels is that all my life I’ve had an intense desire to finish what I start.
When I was 13 years old, I worked at the stockyards in Lewistown, Montana. My first job assignment was to clean the pens being used to fatten pigs for slaughter. I never imagined how much waste pigs could generate in a week’s time! After several weeks of shoveling pig “stuff” for four hours after school, I was ready to quit. But I couldn’t! I couldn’t quit. I had started the job and I was going to do it and do it well – or “finish strong” as some would say.
Nearly 30 years ago, I attempted to climb Twin Mountain just west of Cheyenne. It is the highest point between Cheyenne and Laramie with an elevation of nearly 9,000’. I failed in my attempt to reach the top as a severe storm rolled through southeast Wyoming with dangerous lightning dancing all around.
I didn’t finish what I had started!!
On October 14, 2011, I finished what I had started. A beautiful fall day, an early start, two bottles of water, two Mojo bars, and “an intense desire to finish what I had started” led me to the top of Twin Mountain!
A powerful life lesson can be gleaned from this experience:
Never give up on finishing what you start regardless of the obstacles or delays you encounter.
A lesson to those of us in recovery:
Recovery is a journey. It’s a hard climb. There will be ups and downs. There will be setbacks, disappointments, and delays. Yet, in the face of overwhelming obstacles, we cannot give up! Never, ever stop trying to finish what we started – living a clean and sober life!!
Good Job, Dad!!!!!! :) Very proud of you.
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