Write that down...

I found myself at Fred Meyer, joining the masses as we took advantage of the small window of dry roads after 2 days of constant slippery asphalt. As we all tried to exit the store and drive home before dusk, we didn't quite make it. I had checked out and was walking to the Redbox as the sun went down and the ice painted the streets. The line in the one-stop-shopping-center foyer was filled with families and individuals all bundled up as the sliding doors opened and closed as often as a little kid's toy box. It was 22 degrees with a wind chill that brought it down to 10. I was looking at my boyfriend's text message that read, "oj?" as I approached the exit. I was planning to ignore it until I saw that line and felt that cold air hit me like a brick wall. I immediately turned around and thought, "I'll just get the orange juice and maybe by the time I get back, the line will have gone down." I took my time in the warm aisles of cereal and popcorn boxes, quickly grabbed the orange juice from the refrigerated section and retreated into the shelves of peanut butter and frosting. After about 10 minutes I approached the exit area with much anticipation for a shorter line...only to be a bit disappointed to find that the line was, in fact, longer than the first time. Then it hit me...a very profound thought...

"Ya know, Megan. The only way to get to the front of the line, is to get into the back of the line."

I paused for a moment as I realized that that sentence could be tagged onto every area of my life.

'The only way to get the end result, is to start at the very beginning."

"The only way to cross the finish line is to cross the starting line."

"The only way to get organized, is to start organizing."

"The only way to get it done, is to do it."

I was quite amazed with my insight and immediately jumped in line. One customer at a time, I inched forward. I loved to see big families in front of me because when they finished, the whole mob of them left and I was now 5 people closer to the front when I was only expecting it to be 2. And, of course, I was always a bit bummed when there was only a party of one, and after their 6 minute run through of all of their options and then their transaction, the line appeared no closer to me than before.

One by one, I stepped closer to the front of the line, until I was finally there. I returned the movie 4 hours before the due time, and selected another for family night with the Kumakura's.

34 minutes after getting into the end of the line, I had completed the task at hand, and made it to the front of the line. I was smiling on my way back to my car. "I hope people quote me on that" I thought. Now, the trick is to apply it to the rest of my life.