Happy New Year!

So it’s the Friday of the first week of school. It’s funny how the rhythms and patterns of the school year still affect me at this stage of life. Where it was not so long ago that I was the student attending classes and trying to meet assignments, not I am happy to be Pastor at a church with a school. I get to hear the bell in the morning because our parsonage is on church property, I get to hear the kids going to the playground at recess on my day off (usually Monday). If I am particularly tired and lazy, which is rarely, I will hear them wander to the playground at lunch time having conversations they think no one can hear. Nothing important mind you but I know they wouldn’t say it if any kind of grown up were around.
This morning I greeted the kids as they came in the building and realized how much I enjoy that. Judging by some of their faces though, the joy of not going to school over the summer has yet to be overpowered by the fact that it is Friday. Some looked as though they were being dropped of by a man with a scythe instead of their doting parents. Still, it was a lot of fun greeting them. It’s nice to get smiles but there is also a part of me that gets a private glee from being cheery in the face of those who are grumpy.
And so it all starts again, a new year, the REAL new year. None of this January first nonsense. I also appreciate the very deliberate fall that’s already upon us. It is a bit early this year and I know some are irritated that they will be able to suck every last bit of marrow out of their Summer, but I love the fall. The colours are coming on strong, the air is nice and brisk, and soon those beautiful Autumn smells will be in the air. I don’t mean to gush but I feel that these are the things that help me to feel young as I remember being the one running up the stairs to the playground, I remember walking home kicking the leaves as I went, and those are good memories.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!