This blossom has been the last one on this tree for a couple weeks. When every other blossom turned to green this one held on and blooms alone. It was the last one to present itself and it will be the last one we remember for the season.
It can be hard to be the last one to the party. Everyone else is already well on their way to having fun, and you have to work hard to catch up. It can be hard to be the last one to make a transition when everyone else is settled down and living out the status quo. What makes it worse is when you know you are last, when you feel like you are behind, and you have the sense that you are wasting your time furiously working to catch up.
I think about being picked for teams as a little kid on the playground. No one wanted to be last. It brought shame and implied no one wanted you on their team. Being the last one standing meant you were a periah amongst everyone. And yet we all know the saying ‘Saving the Best for Last’? If it is so awful, then who would ever want to be last? At one time or another we have all been last. Last one picked, last one to graduate, last one to finish, last one to be in the room, last one alive.
There is another side to being last. You are the one people remember. You are the one that stands out when everyone else has moved on. You are the example everyone remembers because you will always be fresh in their mind. If you are not ready to bloom then why push it simply to not be last? You may miss out on something important when you hurry the process simply to avoid being last. Is last so bad? If you look at the situation you are in, is being last such a horrible experience? Where is the pressure coming from to prevent you from taking your time? Is the pressure internal or external, is it true or is it simply your perception? Being last means you have more time, you learn from the experience of those who went before you, and you help complete the project with your final actions. Being last can bring meaning to everyone’s activities.
In a culture that demeans and berates those who are last, go last, get picked last, be the one who provides triumph at last. There is only shame if you allow it, accept it, embrace it. Dare to be the one who serves as the example of excellence by doing it right and getting it done at last. Shame comes into play when you give up, quit, or decide that what you want isn’t worth finishing. Doing things right takes time, it takes effort, and both of those may mean you finish at last…you finished and THAT is the goal. Dare to release your fear, guilt. shame and allow yourself all the time you need to bring your best. Like this Dogwood bloom that has blessed us for weeks, being last adds value no matter what.
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