This past weekend, we traveled to Minneapolis, MN for a little vacation before school starts. We went to a Vikings game on Friday night. None of us had been to an NFL game. We toured the Cowboys stadium when we went to Dallas, but we hadn’t been to a game before. Since this is considered “pre-season,” the tickets were cheaper. We scored seats in the corner of the end zone in row #12!

Instead of trying to find parking in downtown MSP, we decided to take the tram from the Mall of America to the US Bank Stadium. As we filed through a sea of purple and gold, we could see the giant stadium with lots of glass. No food is allowed in from the outside, so it gave us a chance to have an over-priced supper. There was plenty to see before the game and the stands filled up in no time.

The game was a good one – lots to take in. With the Vikings losing to the Seahawks, several fans decided to leave early. I asked our friends if they wanted to beat the crowds for the tram or to stay ’till the end. Luckily, my friend suggested to stay. The Vikings came back and won the game by 1 point… scoring in the end zone right in front of us! We almost missed it. We aren’t huge football fans, but it was quite a sight! The energy was amazing! The 95 foot tall glass doors were open, letting in a nice breeze. We almost missed it. “Wow, good thing we stayed!”… was heard over and over amidst the crowd.

How many times in life do we stay ’till the end? How many times do we leave early, or stop too soon – thinking we will save time or get something else accomplished? As we stood in line for the tram, and packed in like sardines with thousands of other people, I thought about this. I’m guilty of quitting too soon or leaving too early at times. What else have I missed out on? There are many times I have stayed though, and it’s been worth it. What if I didn’t “stay ’till the end” of my cancer treatment? What if I didn’t “stay ’till the end” of my son’s cross country race? It applies in many aspects of life… not only showing up, but staying.

I’ve started several online classes, but don’t always “stay ’till the end.” Something comes up, life gets in the way, my head gets in the way (or 100 other excuses)… and I don’t finish strong. It’s not fair to me or the people I’m in class with or the teacher. I need to stay ’till the end more. Maybe you’ll join me on my journey of enough & be the friend that says, “Let’s just stay ’till the end & see what happens!”