According to Suetonius, Caesar uttered the famous phrase alea iacta est ("the die is cast"). The phrase "crossing the Rubicon" has survived to refer to any individual or group committing itself irrevocably to a risky or revolutionary course of action, similar to the modern phrase "passing the point of no return." Caesar's decision for swift action forced Pompey, the consuls and a large part of the Roman Senate to flee Rome in fear. Caesar's subsequent victory in Caesar's civil war ensured that punishment for the infraction would never be rendered. This took place during the time of the Roman Republic. - Wikipedia
We were broke!
How could this be possible? We weren't living extravagantly (at least it didn't seem that way). But, numbers don't lie.
I realized that we needed to do something - and do it quickly - if we were to avoid disaster.
Larry and I discussed our situation. We were out of time - out of money - and out of options.
We were heartbroken and we felt like failures.
That day, we vowed that we would learn how to handle money, figure out how to budget, and live within our means.
We had crossed our Rubicon.
If you've never heard that phrase, it refers to a day in 49 BC.
Julius Caesar was making the Senate in Rome mighty nervous. He had been sent to keep order in a a far off post of the Empire. Julius had apparently been quite popular and had amassed a collection of soldiers, dedicated to serving him (and not necessarily Rome).
The Senate quickly called Julius back to home base. He was told not to cross the Rubicon River with his new band of fighting warriors in tact. He had a choice to make. Would he follow the directives of Rome or cross the river, thus beginning a war with the Senate (and the mightiest empire on the face of the earth)?
He chose to cross the river - with his men.
Thus, to this day, making a decision from which you will not retreat is referred to as, "Crossing your Rubicon".
Gaius Julius Caesar
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