The Possibilities of a New School Year

Jake on the first day of his senior year of high school!

Dan on his first day of 8th grade

Today school started for Jake and Dan.  I asked Jake a week or two ago if he was looking forward to school and he said something like "kind of".  For Jake that's like saying, "Yeah.  I really am".  "Kind of" is pretty enthusiastic.  He has friends who he has classes with and he will enjoy that.

Dan likes the first day of school.  And the last one.  Otherwise it has a lot of ups and downs.  He really likes coding classes and was pleased with his creative writing class today.

It's been a long time since I actually attended school but I almost always loved a new school year.  There is just something nice about a new outfit or two, some new sharp pencils, pens that still have lids, and notebooks that haven't been shoved in and pulled out of a backpack over and over.  I like the possibilities of new school years.  There are possibilities for new friends, or time with old ones.  There is the possibility that this will be the year that you find a subject you love, or an inspiring teacher.

Eventually the school year can start to feel a little hard and repetitive.  Erasers get worn down, or the entire pencil goes missing.  Pens stop working, or look a little chewed on.  Notebooks are frayed and drawn on.  But there are still possibilities for good things, and if we can hold on to those, and find gratitude for the little good things in our days, then there is a possibility that this will be a really great school year!