Yesterday was the first day of the 2022-2023 school year! It was a big first for our family because it was the first time that everyone was attending the same school at the start of a new school year. It felt big to be able to go together to a place we love and a place where we can all learn and grow.
It felt big that our three-year-old marched right in without tears or fears. It felt big that our 1st grader was now in the main building. It felt big that I knew which way the dropoff line was actually supposed to go.
When you are in the midst of a transition big or small, it can feel as though you won’t ever know what is coming. Every day feels uncertain and a bit overwhelming. And then suddenly, that period of transition just ends, often without a lot of warning or fanfare. You just aren’t in transition anymore. You suddenly can reasonably expect what the day will be like.
Whether this year the first day of school was full of transition or whether this year the first day of school was rather predictable, first days are always a chance to stop and remember where we have been and consider where we want to be by the end of the year. It’s a good chance to take a breath, set an intention, and then walk into the freshness of a new year.