For as long as I can remember, I haven't liked to use the last of anything. When I was a child, my parents used to find carefully folded M&M wrappers (each containing the last few M&Ms) tucked into my dresser. My mom said it made her terribly sad, because she figured I must have thought I wouldn't get any more M&Ms after those were gone.

Even as an adult, I'm hesitant to eat the last of anything. I'm always afraid I'll eat the last of it, and then someone else will want it and they'll be disappointed or angry that it's gone. Right now, my refrigerator contains the last dab of peanut butter, the last dollop of yummy imported jam, the last container of yogurt, the last egg, the last blueberry bagel, and the last of the hamentaschen filling from Purim. The last of the muesli is sitting on the counter, next to the last of the challah and the last of the frosted mini-wheats.

Every time I reach for one of these things, I automatically think, "Oh, someone might want that, better leave it" and pull my hand back.

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