Lasts...

'The Week of Lasts' has officially begun.

You know? ...The 'last' dinner at this location. The 'last' time with this friend. The 'last' opportunity to share this moment.

No, I'm not dying. Well, I am. We all are. But I'll save that topic for another day.

Right now I'm talking about leaving.

I remember in the beginning of "Through Painted Deserts" D. Miller writes something to the affect of..."I hope your life consists of some leaving and some coming back." (Note: That quote came from my own recollection, so I might possibly have made up that whole line. Sorry if that's the case!) Anyway..I've done both. A LOT. More times than I'd like to remember, actually. And seeing as how it's the Monday before I leave again, the former part of that 'leaving and returning' process has begun afresh.

'The Week of Lasts' is happening, whether I'd like it to or not. It's my job now to make every moment count.

So far that has consisted of, but is not limited to, the following....
*Eating at my favorite Chinese restaurant in the whole world! "First Wok, how may I help you?"
*Lounging with Trickie, while drinking Starbucks, eating a bagel and reading US Weekly.
*A trip down memory lane, as Trix and I ate lunch at Chic-Fil-A in our Alma Mater. (Aunt V!...No we don't look that old!)
*Setting some new goals for my life. (i.e. Work at Starbucks and live in low-income housing.)
*A Target run followed by Coldstone.
*An afternoon and dinner at the G's.
*This, of course, lead to a photo shoot with my co-star in the 'Silly Like That' video...Little H. Much laughter ensued.
*Reading a bedtime story to Little H and hugging her good night.
*Finishing the evening laughing with friends.

And as much as it kills me to say goodbye (and maybe this time more so than ever before), I do find myself grateful for the process.
For somewhere in the midst of the tears, I find sweetness in savoring these moments.
As Dr. Seuss says, "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." So that's what I'm trying to do.