the phone rang. it was my sister calling to let me know that my mom fell in the middle of the night, banged her head and was on route to the hospital via ambulance. my heart sank. when would this woman ever catch a break? when would we?

i felt sick to my stomach just thinking about it. i had planned on going to ottawa a week later to celebrate my mom's 70th birthday but was it wise for me to go now? my busy calendar told me no but my gut told me yes.

no joke, within the hour, i get an email from a high school friend telling me that she not only thinks that i should go and see my mom right away, but that she wants to pay for my flight there. soon after, not only did i have a flight booked to ottawa the next a.m., but a ride to the airport at the butt crack of dawn.

unbeknownst to any of us at the time, the day i landed in ottawa proved to be my mom’s very last day on earth and because of the kindness of a few of my friends, i got to experience many lasts with my mom; her last words and pep talk, last hand squeeze, her last breath.

and even though it pains me to type (and retype) the word 'last', am i ever grateful for that day, because, as painful as it was, it was also full of beautiful, memorable moments and what i like to call 'pockets of grace'; moments in life that enable you to pause, take a deep breath and give thanks amidst hardship.

so today, i’m thankful for ‘gut feelings’, the faith to follow them, people who make it easier to, the day i got to spend with my mom before she died, and the friends who let me crash on their couch two years later to assure me that i’m not alone as i relive her final days, either.