THE BREATHS IN BETWEEN

I wonder if my first breath was as soul-stirring to my mother as her last breath was to me?

First breath. Last breath.

Bookends to all of our breaths that live in between.

Gasps of excitement. Rattling breaths stifled by illness, congested and full. Clean breaths that brighten our minds when the rain washes the sludge from the sky. Quiet breaths in silent spaces. Labored breath dotted with grunts and moans as we walk up hills our body is unfamiliar with. Holding our breath in anticipation of…

A baby being born.

An astronaut landing on the moon.

A spelling bee finalist slowly reciting the letters A-I-G-U-I-L-L-E-T-T-E before semi-confidently stating/asking aiguillette? to the judges sitting with eyebrows raised before them.

A gymnast flying high above a balance beam and landing perfectly on both feet.

On the beam.

We exhale along with her.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

These are all of the breaths in between the first and the last.

To be observed.

To be celebrated.

To be honored.

To be grateful for.

When it comes time for your last breath, which of the 672,768,000 breaths that you breathe in your lifetime will stand out as those you remember in the end?