First Day of School

Today is the first day of school for students in Fulton County, Georgia. I was reminded of this on my morning run today as I passed by children and parents waiting for the school bus on the corner. Little ones with their new lunch boxes and backpacks filled with crayons and notebooks, looking perhaps a little nervous and a lot excited. Bigger ones with their new shoes and haircuts, perhaps still a little nervous and maybe a little less excited?

I am reminded again how much I love school and how nervous I would get every year for The First Day of School. Nevermind the fact that, being from a small town, I already knew the teachers and all of my classmates were the same from the years before. It didn't matter how old I was or what grade I was in, I loved school and the first day was always exciting.

As I saw the school buses drive by and saw the kids arriving at the huge and modern high school in my neighborhood, I was thinking about my friends in Liberia and their excitement about school and learning. Those children may not have bright shiny shoes to wear to school for the first day... they may not have backpacks with crayons and pencils... they most likely do not have a lunchbox to carry their snacks... but some things are the same. I'm willing to bet that the young and not-so-young students in Liberia are feeling perhaps a little nervous and extremely excited on this first day of school. They are eager to learn!

I am reminded today of my friends in Liberia.