“Will you miss me… when I go away to college?” she asks, a knowing smile creeping across her face.
I look back at her, and I imagine there’s sadness in my own eyes. Her words catch me off guard in what had seemed like such an ordinary moment in our kitchen-a moment I hadn’t realized I was taking for granted.
“Let’s not talk about that,” I say, turning back to the dishes, or the groceries, or whatever it was I had been doing.
“But you only have four more years with me,” she presses.
“Stop,” I say. “You just got here.”
She laughs, and I pull this teenager, who was just a baby yesterday, into a hug.
Where There Is Joy 
So much love and emotion in this slice. Perfectly captured!
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Such a sweet SLICE! My “babies” are through both HS and college and off living their lives. You captured the feeling I have that you are trying to avoid. You also remind me that our kids are the best at every age! Keep smiling with your teens! ALSO, I so appreciate the SLICE intro today. I love the Summer Toolkit. It’s a keeper! So simple! Espceially love the chart on slide 2. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks Sally! ❤️
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Darn kids- they sometimes really hit you in the heart! She is not wrong. Time flies! Somehow you will both be ready when it is time.
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I love this…short with a powerful punch of love! 🙂
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What a way to capture a moment! I love the love in this slice. Time does go by in a blink, but pausing to write about it will help preserve special moments like this one.
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You captured that beautiful, poignant moment perfectly. Hold on to the here and now!
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Turning away to do housework in response to big feelings rings familiar. Thanks for sharing!
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I agree with the others that this is so much lovely and strong feeling in a small package. The language is simple, the feelings evoked are not. Your title is the best. I can’t stop thinking about it. For me, now, it’s how I am feeling when I look at baby photos of my grandchildren. I’d like to slow them down, but then that would not be right…
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Jessica, your slice is full of a precious moment. It is heartwarming. The conversation is quick and the ending lovely. Thanks for sharing your time well spent with a teenager.
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