This final passage provides a bookend with the opening of the book, in which Jacob dreamed of being an explorer. Now, he has the opportunity to actually achieve that dream, showing how he has come of age enough to determine what he wants to do with his life. Moreover, ending with Bronwyn taking new photos suggests that the kids are no longer stuck in the past—they are creating new memories for a meaningful future. Jacob’s thought that he will someday show the photos to his own grandkids suggests that like his grandfather, he believes that only by living, growing, and knowing that life will someday end can he find meaning in the present.