A couple of weekends ago, my daughter Morgan had her baby shower at our house. Morgan is our oldest daughter, and this will be our first granddaughter—something Kim and I are extremely excited about.
Morgan lives about four hours away, and when it was time for her to leave, I had to pack all the gifts into her car. Packing everything was like putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle.
Turn this basket this way.
Turn that box the other way.
Squeeze a package of diapers in between.
After putting my jigsaw puzzle skills to work, I finally had her car loaded and ready for the drive home.
Over the years, Kim and I have made it a habit that anytime one of our kids drives away, we stand outside and wave as they head down the road. It is our way of saying, “We will miss you, and we can’t wait to see you again.”
After waving goodbye to Morgan, we walked back into the house. As soon as we did, Kim started crying.
I didn’t need to ask what was wrong.
I knew why she was crying because both of us were feeling and thinking the same thing.
This was the last time we would see our daughter as just our daughter. The next time we see her, she will still be our daughter, but she will also be a mother holding our sweet little granddaughter.
Many times in life, the “lasts” come without us ever realizing they are the last.
The last time you changed your child’s diaper.
The last time you hugged a loved one.
The last time you had a conversation with a friend.
The last time your parents gave you a hug.
We recognized that this was the last time we would see our little girl drive away without another little hand waving back at us.
Our new granddaughter is a precious gift. Her arrival has also made us realize that, once upon a time, we held Morgan as a baby for the last time without knowing it.
Now, in just a few short weeks, she will be a mother holding her own sweet daughter.
My challenge to each of us is to treat every moment as though it could be the last.
When we do, life becomes immensely better because we become more present, more grateful, and more intentional.
If this is the last time, make it a favorite moment—one you will forever cherish.