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Friday, February 01, 2013

A Collection of 'Lasts'


Back at the start of this year — or the very end of last year — I noticed I was collecting 'lasts'.

As the time for our move from California approached, and in particular my drive from California to Missouri, I discovered I was making note of 'the last time I'll do this'.

The day I left on the start of a 2,007-mile journey I took a number of last photographs of the lake in Foster City — like the one here. It serves to remind me of the beauty that was there, and remind me to search for the beauty that is here.

In the days before, the weeks before, we had a last dinner at Heidi's Pies, a family restaurant in San Mateo. A place straight out of Americana, a place where you'll be called 'sweetie', no matter how unsweet you might be feeling at the time. Another last, a pizza (well, one each — they're small, honest) at Amici's East Cost Pizza, also in San Mateo. Very thin crust. Freshly made. Good service. A third last, Boudin. Now there's a taste of San Francisco. You won't find sourdough bread quite like that anywhere.

I notice that the 'lasts' I'm recalling are food related. Well, bread broken and shared is a deep-rooted part of human community. 

We'd already had the last celebration with the Emmaus Community. Again bread broken and shared, both in the sacramental meal of the liturgical celebration and afterwards in the shared potluck as we bid farewell to friends we'd come to know over decades.

There are many other 'lasts' I collected: a last visit to the Highlands Resort operated by a husband and wife team we've come to know well, a last visit to an art gallery in Duncan's Mills operated by a husband and wife team of artists, a last visit to San Rafael for me to visit with my good friend.

It was good to take the time to stop, notice, remember. It's a part of conscious living, something with which I have a checkered history.

Now I'm collecting 'firsts'.

6 comments:

  1. I found myself doing the same thing the week before retirement. Don't worry, Kevin, you will collect many wonderful firsts, and you probably really can go back to San Fran some day to reconnect.

    I find it sort of ironic that you go for east coast pizza, when round these parts California pizza is all the rage. But you had me with the very thin crust. :)
    ~jon

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    1. Thanks, Jon, for stopping by. Last are good, as are firsts. And I'm quite fond of California pizza also.

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  2. Kevin and Jon - Pizza is nectar from the gods in whatever style. ;)

    Conscious living...I too have a checkered history. As writers, perhaps we forget to look up and really see when our imaginations are so richly appointed.

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    1. A good deep dish, Chicago style, is no bad thing either, Laura.

      I find I need to look up from time to time, to fill the imagination tank.

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  3. I like that idea of conscious living and I liked sharing your lasts and looking forward to hearing about your firsts in you new place.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed my lasts, Helen. I'm accumulating firsts also. And some things just continue.

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