toy story 3

One of the most touching moments in Disney's "Toy Story" series is in the third film when 17-year-old Andy goes off to college, leaving his beloved toys behind to a young girl named Bonnie. It's the moment when he's forced to put the things of childhood behind and make his way in the world as an adult.

Before driving off in his car, he gives Bonnie his favorite toy, Woody, and the two play together with his toys for one last time. While he's excited to move on to go to school, his heart is clearly heavy with the knowledge of everything he's leaving behind.

"Thanks, guys," Andy says as he starts the ignition on his car and drives away.

"So long, partner," Woody says.

Toy Story 3 - So Long Partnerwww.youtube.com

A mother and son in Somerset, Texas recreated the heartfelt moment in a Twitter photo that has gone viral. A family friend captured a photo of Josiah Robles walking away from his home with his toys, including Buzz Lightyear and Woody, wishing him a fond farewell.

Robles is heading off to Baylor University to study mechanical engineering, where he will go "to infinity and beyond."

"We thought it would be a good idea to do it with 'Toy Story' toys considering that I will be going off to college, like kind of what Andy did when he left the toys in the movie," Robles explained.

The photo is reminiscent of a shot that went viral in September when a father in Leicestershire, England commemorated his four-year-old's return to school after a sixth-month lockdown due to COVID-19.

In the photo, the young boy heads off to school while Buzz Lightyear, Rex, Slink, Jessie, and Woody wave goodbye to him in an homage to "Toy Story 3."

"We decided to recreate the moment in 'Toy Story 3' where Andy leaves his toys behind when we did the traditional back to school photo," the father, Sean Donnelly, told The Daily Mail.

"I think that story connected with the picture is one people can identify with too. If you have got kids you kind of know that feeling," he added.

"Lots of people found it emotional and that it made them cry. I tried to make it look dark inside where the toys were and light outside where he was," he said.

Both photos are a great way of marking a very specific moment in a child's life when they go through a major transition. However, their greatest importance may be as a reminder to parents.

One of the most powerful realizations of being a parent is just how quickly our children grow. One day they're playing with a pacifier, the next they're playing with dolls. A few years later they're knocking around a volleyball or basketball, and then, they're leaving home.

You can't put time in a bottle but you can do your best to be there, be in the moment, and appreciate the wonder of their childhoods, because it'll be over before you know it.