Listen to this article

My son and I took a long drive, about four hours north, to visit my daughter at college. She turned 19 last month, but her birthday weekend was packed with school things, so we went the weekend after to celebrate.

The drive reminded me of our old road trips – especially that long one we recently took to Mississippi. We listened to true crime podcasts, told stories, and laughed. 

I drove the whole way this time because we took my car, and it’s a stick shift. My son doesn’t know how to drive one yet, so it was just me, the clutch, and the open road.

When we finally got there, we walked around campus. The leaves are just starting to change, and the air felt cool and crisp – the kind of air that makes you want to wear a cozy sweater and drink something warm. Even though the day was unseasonably warm, fall was in the air.

We took her out to dinner and then stopped at the store to pick up some snacks she could have in her dorm. She grabbed her favorites, things that don’t need a stove and can be easily snatched before a long day of classes and studying.

What touched me the most was watching my kids together. 

They laughed, joked, and told stories like they always have. It was like watching an old home come to life. 

At one point in the car, they said, “It’s like the old days,” and my heart just about burst.

There’s something special about seeing your kids as grown-ups who still genuinely love being around each other. 

I’m so proud of who they’re becoming – kind, funny, strong, and good people. 

Still, part of me misses those younger versions of them. The car rides when they were little. The silly songs. The endless “Are we there yet?” questions.

These days, the car is quiet. 

The backseat doesn’t have snack wrappers or backpacks tossed on the floor. 

But sometimes, when they’re both in the car again, laughing and teasing each other, it feels like the ghosts of those little kids are still there – happy and loud, riding along with us.

Maybe that’s what makes fall feel a little spooky. It’s not just the ghosts in stories or the pumpkins on porches. It’s the way time sneaks up on us, how old memories appear out of nowhere, sitting right beside us like old friends.

My kids may not live at home anymore, but they’ll always live in my heart. And yes—before you ask – I did get their permission to post this picture. I may be sentimental, but I’m not about to haunt my kids online without warning. 😉