Daryl Wood's Blog

Snuggled beside my aunt in the backseat of the car she spoke softly, “I miss driving my car. The last time I drove it, I didn’t know it was going to be the last time.” Big sigh. Nobody knew it would be the last time and now we were being driven around for the last time with her through the small Nova Scotia villages she had introduced me to on our many visits. This was our good-bye trip as she faced, with so much uncertainty and emotion, the end of her life. It’s been five years and I can still feel and smell and taste that moment with her.

Sometimes we talked about what was inevitable, sometimes we reminisced, sometimes we acted as if nothing had changed. What struck me on the sad flight home when I knew I’d never see her again was the sharp contrast with how many ways I have missed ‘the last time’. There were people and places that meant so much to me and I rarely knew it would be the last time. I have an image etched into my heart and mind of my mother standing on her front porch as we drove away fourteen years ago. It was the last time and oddly enough, while there was no immediate indication that she would be gone in a few weeks, something in my soul told me to have that final, loving conversation with her and to keep watch as we rolled down the street.

We all celebrate people we love, extraordinary events and adventures through connection or travel or the simple life experience of our daily lives. In each of these are moments we want to cherish forever. As I print off the pictures of our recent vacation I know how much my husband and I will enjoy slowly going through them to remember the fun we had and the beautiful people who shared time with us. Just in case it was the last time … and I’m already planning the return trip … we will have these photographs to bring the memories back to life.

What do you want to embrace today just in case it’s the last time?