It was under the haze of a few beers and the glow of the grill that my boyfriend and I shared a private kiss at a house party last summer. We had escaped to the patio for a little quiet, and a little smoochin’. When I turned to go back inside, he said “I hate to see you go, but I love to watch you leave.”

“Okay, ya creep!” I called out as I sashayed through the door with a wink.

It wasn’t until months later, when I accidentally caught a (semi) private moment between a couple on the N train, that I understood what he meant. The couple shared a joke, a kiss goodbye, and as she left, this woman’s boyfriend watched her walk of the train, and kept his eyes on her until she was past his line of vision. His face was calm, soft, and there was a slight trace of a smile through the corners of his mouth. He really did love to watch her leave.

It got me thinking about this moment in other instances of life. I have vivid memories of being dropped off by parents, a friend, or an old boyfriend at various locations. Without fail, I’d hear: “I’ll wait here to make sure you get in safe”, no matter the time of day. When driving myself, my parents still walk me out to my car and wave their goodbyes until I’m beyond their sight. And when you put the idea of “watching you leave” like that… well, I suppose there’s comfort in the idea that someone loves to watch me reach my next destination. And, as someone who gives herself completely, it’s important for me to be able to return that gesture.

What about you – do you have someone you love to watch leave?