What Is Too Long?

         I glanced at my youngest daughter standing next to me. Did I hear her humming? With all the running around we'd scrambled to muster I did not expect this. If we were cast in a movie scene, at this juncture I would sigh on cue and stare at my wrist watch. What would I be coaxed to mutter? Oh, right, something like this.

         "This is taking too long."

         "Did you say something, Mom?"

          I will admit to defaulting to my usual joking mode and firing off a comeback most of the time. It never hurt to keep the kids on their toes. Not now though. Shouldn't I be cramming a bit extra into this rare mother-daughter moment? Could we benefit from this right here, the here and now?

         Where had the time gone? I do remember scoffing at the seniors when they chided me with their words of wisdom. Cherish them. Kids grow up too quickly. They'll be out of the nest before you know it.

         Had I naively believed this long-legged creature with the wild, curly hair would always plead for just one more story and laugh as I chased her skipping form around the house? Had I shared enough with her? How could she be ready?

         Lost in my reverie I startled when the elevator pinged and the heavy doors whooshed open. I shifted the bulky boxes balanced in my arms. A young woman reached in and swiped a laminated card across the control panel.

         "You need the key card to move the elevator."

          Huh? Danielle and I giggled. We were anticipating the fifth floor dormitory floor not the bustling lobby we believed we'd departed. How long had we waited to go nowhere?

         I suppose there's always time for reflection especially in a stalled elevator.

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