Everything has a lifespan. That is one lesson that I have been trying to teach my daughter, Emma. I think she may be tired of hearing it. But it is true. From the mosquito that lives twelve hours in your backyard puddle to the towering Mount Everest, everything has an ending and everything is ever changing. The Buddhists explain this with their idea of impermanence.
Since everything has a life span that also means everything has a last time. As we get older this comes more into focus. I have always been fascinated by this last time thing. Our lives are made of routine, and ritual, and tradition. Those routines come to abrupt halts. Those rituals end suddenly. Those traditions die out. And the weird thing is, we often do not see a last time coming.
An example from my life revolves around Sunday dinner. My siblings were all much older than I. So while I was home with mom and dad, as a child, my siblings were raising families of their own. Yet, every Sunday my mom would make a big Sunday dinner and, invariably, at least one of my siblings and their families would drop in for a visit and a meal. Sometimes it was all three local siblings (one sibling lived in California) with their families. There was always enough food. There was always a good time. And then, there was a last time.
Looking back I am not even sure why that Sunday ritual ended. Was it because my mom got sicker? Was it because of a move? Did my siblings’ lives just get busier? Was it when my mom died? I don’t know, but I miss it.
Take a look at the routines, rituals, and traditions of your own life. Which ones will be around five years from now? Ten years from now? If you enjoy them, savor them! You never know which one will be the last one.
I hope that didn’t depress you, but instead gave you the motivation to enjoy this beautiful sunny day!
A Semi-retired Kind of Life 