Life Lessons from the Middle

We start with Baby books, cataloguing everything so that we can look back and remember. 

We write down the first words, first steps, first teeth, first birthday, first teacher…and on and on it goes.

After attending a funeral a few months ago, I remembered one thing that was so prevalent in my mind during times when I’ve had to say goodbye at a funeral. You want to remember and hang on to the last time you had a moment with them…and it occurred to me that when we are cherishing life events, what we usually don’t write down are the “lasts”.

Recently I was struck by the importance of cherishing somethings for the possibility that it will be the last. I tell people now, how one day my husband and I looked at each other and with tears in my eyes I said, “I didn’t know that last year was the last time we’d ever do that as a family.”

Although I know that this happens often when there is a loss of life in a family, how often do we try to cherish these things with those who are still with us? 

This was a different impact. This was hoping to cherish what still is, and hear about their favorite parts of those times that have ended. This was simply recognizing that some things grow past us, some things just end. 

The thought was so emotionally stirring that we started making a list.

So, for us…

There was a last time that we picked up our child and carried them on our hip.

There was a last time we gave our child a bath.

There was a last time that they needed us to help them get dressed.

There was a last time that they wanted a story read to them.

There was a last tickle fight.

There was a last waking up with an extra person in bed.

There was a last time we all Trick-or-Treated together.

There was a last time we heard their children’s voice.

There was a last time they climbed into your lap.

We don’t want any of this to cause us to be sad, or to make us realize regret. We just want to cherish more of what seems simple, and insignificant. 

Life Lessons from the Middle