Fall is a time when I feel a mix of good and bad feelings. Summer is ending, gone is the really hot weather, sound of cicadas and the lazy feeling of just enjoying the amazing weather. The nights start sooner, and the evening with its cool breeze gives me a chill and makes me feel a bit uneasy. Nervous tension in my belly. It's that feeling of going back to school that is so strong. The classrooms smell fresh, and all those new pencils and paper have so much potential. No mistakes have been made, so the Pink Pearl is still unrubbed. It seems cheery in the brightly fluorescent lit rooms. The acoustics of lots of hard surfaces amplify and resonate the sound of the teachers, the authority.
With anticipation we sit, waiting for him to start. There is still a bit of summer in his voice, and it takes a while before the ball starts rolling. Damn, we're all pumped up and ready to go! Give me something to write about in my book! I see new face everywhere. There is curiosity and wonder in the air. Old things are ending and new things are starting. We're turning the page and cleaning the slate. This year will be better than all the rest and we'll work harder, do better, learn more. It all starts right now.
And even though I didn't have a first day of school this year, I still have all the same feelings. When the sun shines on a bit of a sharper angle and sets a little sooner. When the air has a bit of crispness to it. When the summer festivals are coming to an end, that's when I feel it. Crickets chirp at night as I walk down familiar streets. The sound is better without so many air conditioners running. This is the time of year I long for. It makes me feel so happy to be alive.
I've written the date at the top of my paper... it feels so good to be here!