If We Knew…
Throughout life we simply do not know when the exact moment of some of our ‘last times’ in our lives are taking place. If we did would it be different somehow? Would we act different? Would we say something different? Would our minds capture the moment differently?
When we are young children, we are not aware when our very last game of hide and seek, or dodgeball, or pickup football is being played with our siblings or best friends. We are oblivious to when our exact last friend hangout is occurring, or when our last stay up all night listening to music, discussing our hopes and dreams sleepover is taking place. And we really have no clue — that the photo we just took was the last silly photo as a group — the last of a thousand before it. If we knew — would we do something different; say something different?
As we get older and have children of our own, we are not even remotely aware of when they hold our hand for the last time, or when it is the last cuddle on our lap. We are not aware of when the very last waking us in the middle of the night to tell us about a dream or crawling into our bed is taking place. We don’t really take notice to when the very last bike ride, or sled ride, or all-night video gaming, laughing and chatting with their friends is being played-out. And we are completely oblivious to the exact moment that all the chaos and sounds of toddlers to teens that once filled our home suddenly come to a screeching deafening halt. If we knew — would we do something different; say something different?
And as we continue to move through life, and if we are fortunate enough to still have our parents or even grandparents with us — we are not aware nor ever prepared for the exact moment when we will have our very last conversation with them or our final laugh together. We do not know when it is the last hug or last kiss to our forehead or cheek by the ones that have been there with us, since the moment we took our first breath. If we knew — would we do something different; say something different?
The saying ‘live every day like it’s your last’ is kind of a hard one to stick with, but maybe the more feasible approach is to simply remember to make sure the people we love know how much we love them; to tell them we are sorry when we have hurt them; to forgive them when they have hurt us; to never be too busy to spend time with them; and to never take that time spent together for granted, because we will never know when that ‘last time’ is happening. And as heartbreaking and gut wrenching you know it will be — be there if you can, hold their hand, and tell them as they take their last breath, how much you’ll miss them, and that you’ll always remember that they were there for your very first breath — and for every breathtaking moment in-between… 💜
Love & Miss you every day Nunny ~ March 6, 2019
