There are moments that make time feel like it’s folded in half — when past and present blur into one long blink. For me, it was finding out my baby cousin has a boyfriend.
A boyfriend. At seventeen.
It doesn’t seem that long ago they were learning to walk, clutching a juice box, or laughing at Peppa Pig. I can still picture their tiny hands, the way everyone would fuss over them at family gatherings. And now they’re talking about prom, posting photos, living a whole teenage life of their own.
It’s such a surreal mix of feelings — pride, disbelief, tenderness. You want to cheer them on, but part of you is standing there thinking, “hang on… wasn’t I seventeen about five minutes ago?”
Somewhere between those birthdays and new chapters, we quietly became the grown-ups. The ones watching, remembering, smiling at how quickly it all happens.
Maybe that’s the beauty of it though — seeing the next generation reach their own milestones reminds you how far you’ve come too. The circle keeps moving, the years keep rolling, and love just finds its way through each version of us.
Still, I’ll always think of them as that little baby who could fit in the crook of my arm — no matter how tall or grown-up they get. 💖
Asten Does Nostalgia 
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