Quite often we do not know when we are about to experience the last of something. The last day on the job comes as a surprise sometimes. The last moments before a child wakes up in the morning are a complete mystery. Even the last time that we see a loved one is not forewarned. So, in those moments that we do know that something is going to happen for the last time, we should treasure them because we have been given that knowledge and we know that it is a rare thing.

I believe in the penultimate because of how it feels to almost finish a project and know that only one more piece needs to be placed. The minute before the last minute of a workout is so sweet because you know that the cooldown is coming and you can turn on the afterburners and give it everything that you have just one more time.

I am powering through, knowing that tomorrow is the last day that I will be writing for such a specific purpose. Tomorrow will be the final installment of reflection, the one that I couldn’t see clearly until today.

My penultimate purpose is catching the ball just one more time before I throw it away forever. I want to make sure that I see the ball all the way into my glove and feel the heavy weight of it as I clasp my thumb hard against the rest of my hand. And as I check to make sure that it is still in there, I know that all I have to do is toss the ball back and I will be done. I can go inside and have chicken noodle soup and think about what a wonderful game of catch this has been.