Tuesday, October 23, 2012

The Last Time

My family is in the middle of a move, so we are finding ourselves doing things and going places and saying, “This will be the last time we will ever do this.

·         We went to the beach for the last time.
·         I preached for the last time.
·         I wrote my last bulletin article. We visited our neighbors for the last time.
·         We ate with friends for the last time.
We are hoping to do several things one more time.
·         We would like to make it to our favorite Mexican restaurant one more time.
·         We would like to visit our favorite park one more time.
·         We want to take a walk through our neighborhood one more time.
·         If we have a chance we will probably stop by our favorite ice cream shop for a milk shake one more time.
·         I would like to play a round of golf with my friends one more time.

Add to all the things already mentioned, there are all the people we are seeing for what may be the last time.
When we do something for what may be the last time, we tend to view it differently. We want to make a mental photograph that will never fade. We want to listen to every word. We want to hold on to every image and every comment and every relationship. Events that never really seemed significant, suddenly take on a whole new meaning. We fear that food will never taste so good, skies will never be so blue, winds will never be as fresh, or love will be as real.

Doing things for the last time is an emotionally draining and a physically tiring experience. On the other hand, unless we do some things for the last time, we cannot do other things for the first time.

As the family goes through the process of moving to a new location, we are doing many things for the last time, and the tears flow. But, in a few days, we will begin doing many other things for the first time, and the tears will flow.

Enjoy the day, even if it is for the last time, and make the most of it.

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