A Season of Lasts

By:  Maura L. Johnson

I pulled into the new splash pad on an exceptionally hot July day, certain we would be there for hours. My daughter and her best friend took turns shouting song requests while I tried to hype up the new park and its extensive water features. Splash pads had long been in our arsenal of summer activities, attractive not only because they were free but also as great playdate locations. I had no sooner sat down at a table with a book and illusions of relaxation before I noticed both girls standing over me. “Miss Maura, this place is boring. Can we go to the pool instead?  More of our friends go there”, my daughter’s friend said with pleading eyes. “Yeah, mom, there’s so many…little kids here now”, my daughter concurred, with another request for the local pool. I smiled, relenting, though neither girl knew what I was really thinking: “I wish I had known the last time we went to the splash pad was actually the last time we would go to the splash pad”. 

Many of you may be relating to this feeling especially deeply this time of year, as you celebrate graduations. Each season marks new beginnings, with so many leaving for college in a few months and others getting ready for that first day of kindergarten. Maybe it’s the end of a sports season with an amazing team, watching friends graduate and knowing things will look different next year. You might be catching yourself wistfully looking at your child(ren), remembering a time that felt simpler, more relaxed. You may be longing for an opportunity to go back for one more day, not to change anything but to experience those feelings one more time. The joy of watching them spread their wings can coexist with the grief of knowing it all went so fast, even if you didn’t believe it could.

As the summer break begins and many anticipate their homes looking different come fall, taking a moment to appreciate the “now” can be especially helpful. When you notice an especially meaningful moment, take a breath and name it for what it is. Look at your surroundings, what your senses are experiencing and think about what you want to commit to memory. It’s often helpful, especially when things feel rushed or chaotic, to take stock in the small moments. The daily time with my family, the softball games, the friendships I’ve made and the school activities (yes, even “Maycember’) are likely to be the memories that bring joy once this season of life has passed. Wishing everyone a wonderful start to summer!