No other holiday is such a demarcation line in my life. Labor Day is the big one. End of summer, but most importantly, the beginning of school. (Yes, I know that that is not true everywhere now).For years and years of my life as a child, teenager, young adult, mother the first Monday in September was the real start of the year.
`Tomorrow Amelia Ruth Hertz starts first grade in Delmar, New York. By all accounts she is not as excited as her Nana was 60 years ago. ( What a different world that was 60 years ago! ) But some things don't change. Shopping for school supplies from the teacher' s list, hoping she asked for the 64 box of Crayolas (and she usually only wanted us to get the 24), #2 pencils, of course, the three ring binder, the pencil box. the big fat pink erasure (very important). And of course,what should that special outfit be for the first day, because even at that age we sensed how important that first impression would be, and, besides, it was an important event! Although, I think the significance of that outfit went unnoticed by the boys.
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`School was my refuge, my joy, my place to shine, my door to other worlds and finally my escape from the lifestyle of my family and literally from my family. It was the place I wanted to be instead of home. It was the path to picking a family that I liked and wanted to be a part of.
After three years as the teacher, not the student, I finally realized I wanted out of the classroom. But that didn't change my attitude about September. It is the beginning of a new year, a new season, the end of that special quality of summer nights still.
It is a fresh start in a new space wearing a new outfit. It is the hope of making new friends, the joy of reading, and an entry into the big world where you can try out being different yous.
It has been the ladder up for generations of immigrants, the one true escape from a life of poverty, racism, sexism; whatever way the culture tries to limit you.
And all of that starts with a new box of Crayolas; I can smell them now. Lord, I love September!
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One day at a time
About Me
- island mama
- Greatest joy; Amelia & Greta. Proudest accomplishment: the men my sons are. the only things that matter: health, family and friends.
1 comment:
Thank you for the comments on Labor Day. As a teacher and student it is certainly is a mixed bag. I think we need to start making our home much more uncomfortable so that Kid A will be longing to get to school...//And in the meantime, I keep trying to remember that, even though I've been doing this for over 10 years now, those First Year students in front of me tomorrow have just left the homes of their childhood and this new one can seem frightening and strange [if not also exciting at the same time].
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