Celebrating Last Times and First Times
I was sitting in the Dundy County High School gym, watching the St. Patrick boys Junior High basketball game last week.
With the seconds ticking away on the time clock, I thought about how many games I have been to in this gym and countless other auditoriums as my seven children have moved through the school system. As my last two kids will be high school swimmers rather than basketball players, I will be spending most of my time at swimming pools rather than gymnasiums.
The basketball season is coming to a close and this could very likely be the last time I take in a game in this gym, at least watching my own children play. And my son is playing in his final game at St. Patrick’s today after 23 years of my kids as a Knight or Lady Knight.
Most of the time, you never know when something is “the last time.” The “last time” you saw someone or the “last time” you were able to do something.
Usually, it is only when you reflect back on the past do you realize the last time you played t-ball, the last time you saw your mom, the last time you walked out of your family home.
That remembrance is usually filled with nostalgia, sometimes regret and occasionally a longing for how it used to be.
But rather than looking at an ending as negative, we need to recognize it as the beginning of something new, a chance to try something different, or another phase in our life.
I have had many “lasts” recently as my kids grow up and move out of the house. The last time they come home from college over summer break. The last time all of them are not split among houses over the holidays because of significant others. The last time all my boys are not taller than me. (I’ve still got the girls beat.)
But this also means that means that we’ll be having many firsts. Like the first wedding for one of our children. Like our first grandchild. Like our first child going off our cellular bill and insurance package. We’ll see what happens first but I’m not holding out hope for a lower cell payment.
Ultimately, all of these firsts simply mean we are moving into a new phase of our lives, phases of the unknown but phases which can be exciting and bring new opportunities. I’ve truly enjoyed the countless hours running the clock at my kids’ games and standing along the back wall of the gym during Christmas programs. But I am also looking forward to what the future holds as we move from “last time” to “first time.”
We have also seen a “last time” when it comes to the fitness community.
The Republican River Fitness Series is coming to an end after seven years of getting people off the couch and onto their feet for 5Ks, triathlons and adventure races. With tremendous support from Community Hospital, people were able to get active, to explore our community by foot (and bikes) and to meet others on their health journey.
Some of the races will likely continue on their own like the Culbertson Fourth of July Freedom Run and the Heritage Days 5K, along with a race to support McCook’s cross country team.
But the series has wrapped up (past participants should be on the lookout for a special invitation soon) and this is an opportunity to celebrate what was accomplished over the past few years.
We’ve had the privilege of honoring some who have passed, including Randy Andrews and Michelle Walters, with their own race. We’ve raised funds to help build the McCook Dog Park and to support youth sports at the YMCA and Knights of Columbus.
We have had a great time exploring a variety of spaces across our area, from the scrambling across the sandbars in the Republican River by Trenton to praying that the splash pad didn’t come on in the dark during the Color Race in Cambridge.
And we have seen people transform themselves, whether it was physically by losing weight or mentally by running a distance they didn’t think was possible.
The fitness series has come to an end but people will run, bike and swim - not for the last time but for many, it will be for the first time and that is something to celebrate.
