I like the, well, “moral” at the end. The idea of finding increasing challenges.

The line “I’ve tried so many times and I can’t get there!” seemed a bit contrived, not what someone in her position would actually yell. I’d think it would be more of a “Why can’t I do this?” which doesn’t explicitly say she’s done this a bunch. Better yet, there’s always showing instead of telling. Blisters come to mind.

I’m left wondering about this couple’s relationship (father-daughter? boyfriend-girlfriend?) which seems to be intentionally vague in the story.

jesteram’s comments on showing not telling are wiser than anything I could add.

The last two lines of dialogue are great for making sense of the story, wrapping it up neatly.

One word jumped out as misplaced to me. ‘Growled’ in the second paragraph. It’s certainly an unusual choice and maybe that’s the point but it didn’t sit well with the tears filling her eyes for me.

But then she hisses in the next paragraph, so maybe this is frustration turned outright into fury? Possibly the summation at the end felt too neat to fit with such anger, as if it were all suddenly dispelled.

I’m probably reading too much into it and maybe I just tripped on ‘growled’ because I wasn’t expecting it.