A few weeks back, I found myself going through that tedious exercise we all endure every four years as real estate professionals, renewing my license. This marks the 10th time in my career I’ve completed the process. I’ll leave the math to you on that.
But this time, as I worked through the forms and requirements, I caught myself wondering, “Is this the last time I’ll do this?”
That thought opened a door. I don’t remember the last home I personally sold, but now I wonder, “Was that the last time?”
The funny thing about “last times” is… we rarely know when they’re happening. This is true in business, and it’s true in life.
Recently, I’ve overheard conversations that reminded me of this phenomenon—parents sending kids off to college, young adults moving out, finding their independence. I’ve lived this.
In my early 20’s, I’d listen to friends with kids talk a different language—first steps, first words, endless pictures. I didn’t get it. It felt like an exclusive club I had no interest in joining.
Then June of 1996 arrived. My membership card was delivered in the form of a baby boy. The moment I looked into his eyes, I got it. And in April of 1999, when my daughter arrived, my heart expanded again in ways I couldn’t have imagined.
Parenting doesn’t come with an instruction manual, and you hope and pray you get it right. My kids are grown now, living their own lives, but they are still the reason I get up in the morning and the last thought I have before I fall asleep.
I once read a passage that perfectly captures the bittersweet reality of raising children—it reminds us that so many moments happen for the very last time… and we never know it until they’re gone. I’m not sure who wrote it, but I thought I would share.
From the moment you hold your baby in your arms,
you will never be the same.
You’ll remember the freedom and time you once had,
and you’ll know tiredness like never before.
Days will blur together—feeding, burping,
whining, fighting, naps… or no naps at all.
But don’t forget…
there is a last time for everything.
One day, you will feed your baby for the last time.
They’ll fall asleep on you,
and you’ll never again hold them that way.
You’ll carry them on your hip, set them down,
and never pick them up like that again.
You’ll scrub their hair in the bath,
and from then on, they’ll want to bathe alone.
They’ll hold your hand to cross the road,
then never reach for it again.
They’ll creep into your room at midnight for cuddles,
and you won’t know it’s the last time.
You’ll sing The Wheels on the Bus one afternoon,
and then never sing it again.
They’ll kiss you goodbye at the school gate,
and the next day, they’ll choose to walk alone.
You’ll read your last bedtime story, wipe your last messy face,
and one day, they’ll run to you with arms raised,
for the very last time.
The thing is, you won’t realize it’s the last time
until it’s gone.
So, while you’re living in these moments, remember there are only so many.
When they’re gone, you’ll long for just one more.
For one last time.
Here’s the thing, this truth doesn’t just belong to parenting. It applies to our careers, our friendships, our routines, even the deals we close. One day, without realizing it, you’ll have your last listing appointment. Your last late-night negotiation. Your last team meeting. Your last handshake with a client who became a friend.
We tend to assume there will always be another, another sale, another gathering, another hug, another call, but the reality is, there’s only a finite number.
So, here’s my takeaway: Live and work with the awareness that every moment might be your “last time.” Treat every client meeting like it’s your last chance to make an impression. Approach every conversation with the care you’d give if you knew it was the final one. Appreciate every bit of the journey now, because when it’s gone, you’ll wish for just one more.
Make today count. Every time.
