Photo: TikTok & Pixabay / Pexels
Sometimes, a basic question carries deep emotional meaning.
By Alexandra Blogier — Written on May 24, 2023
A high school senior posted a poignant TikTok describing a moment she shared with her mom before her last week of school. Samantha, 18, filmed herself in tears and explained how a seemingly innocuous question her mom asked made her feel emotional.
The high school senior’s mom offered to drive her to her last week of school, ‘one last time.’
Samantha doesn't speak in the video but uses on-screen text to explain, “Today I was in the car with my mom and she turns to me and says ‘Do you want me to drive you to school next week?’ and I go, ‘Why do you need to?’ and she goes ‘Well, it's your last week of high school, I figured I’d drive you just one last time, just like I did all these years,’ that broke me.”
Photo: TikTok
“Suddenly I don’t want to grow up now,” she captioned the post.
Samantha’s mom wanted to share one last ride to school with her daughter, to mark the occasion of her graduation.
Samantha’s post received over 700 comments, from high school students and parents alike, all of whom found the conversation between mother and daughter to be resonant.
“Let her,” stated the first comment. “I lost my mom and I wished she was here every day.”
The comment highlights the way we so often don't know how much value our relationships hold until we lose those people closest to us. Similar missives could be found throughout the comment section, with people explaining that losing a parent made them wish they could have simple moments together, still.
“I’m 5 years out of high school and this just made me want one last ride to school from my parents,” said another follower.
Other people shared their own experiences with their parents during their last week of school.
One person explained, “My dad always bought me a hash brown and a juice before school in 5th grade. So he did on my last day. His voice cracked when he ordered.”
Someone else had a similarly emotional experience, relating what happened during their last week at high school. “My mom drove me (last of 4 kids) to high school the last week,” they said. “Years later she told me she sat crying for 30 minutes after she dropped me off. Broke me to my core.”
It wasn’t just graduating seniors who felt connected to Samantha’s post — parents left their sentimental comments, as well. “Let her,” said one parent. “It’s so hard for us mamas, it’s a bittersweet time, and congratulations, graduate!”
Another mom explained, “I saved my daughter’s lunch box from pre-K so I can pack her lunch one last time when she’s a senior.”
One mom shared, “Just finished my daughter’s school trips. 2,580 days counting preschool through 12th. Over 40K miles. Priceless!”
It’s easy to overlook the ways small, everyday activities hold so much meaning for kids and their parents. What could be viewed as a chore (i.e. driving to school) can also be seen as a sweet moment of connection for families, which Samantha and her followers certainly seem to understand.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers parenting issues, pop culture analysis, and all things to do with the entertainment industry.