Sweet granddaughter Jane has begun the predictable passage common to most folks her age. She is gradually losing her baby teeth, each time proudly displaying her most recent gap as a badge of honor.
And while I adore that scarecrow grin, I feel some sorrow that I’ll never again see that sweet baby tooth smile I knew since she was a toddler. I wish I’d had enough forethought to appreciate that baby smile the last time I saw it.
We experience many “lasts” in our lives mindlessly, oblivious to the changes ahead: the last time our child crept into our bed during a thunderstorm, the last time our teenager depended on us for transportation. So caught up in living our lives, it’s easy to miss some of these “lasts.”
Other lasts are predictable and dramatic, like the last “first day of school” photos in August of our child’s senior year, or the last trip to the orthodontist to get those braces off. These events feel momentous and often create real emotions in the moment.
I’m having such a mindful last as I write this column. I sit looking at the sunrise over the lake in the office I have inhabited for the entire duration of writing these segments. In more than 12 years, all but a handful of them have been written at this desk, viewing this lovely sight.
Later today I’m moving to a smaller office in preparation for the entrance of Baby TALK’s new Executive Director. I’m excited to see what this change will bring to us, and have confidence she’ll help us grow in critical, necessary ways. I’ll continue to work fulltime for the remainder of this year, and will proudly wear the title of “Founder” as long as I live.
But just now I’m aware of the passage of time and the undeniability of change. I intend to continue these segments as long as I feel I have words to offer to families. But after this one, I’ll be writing from a new desk.
Change comes to us all, and we frequently don’t recognize it until we glimpse it in our rearview mirror. But Jane will have a beautiful smile again one day. And me? I can’t wait to see what’s on the road ahead.
