Let me begin by saying, living in New York City is never dull. There is always something to do, somewhere to go and people to watch. But things in my neighborhood really perk up when September rolls around. That’s when the school yard across the street is filled with sounds of happy kids laughing, cheering, and just generally having a good time. Right now, as I’m typing, I can hear a PE teacher blowing his whistle to start some sort of race. And in a few hours, the kids from the preschool down the block will come racing by, holding tight to their latest art project, or singing a song they learned in class. (My personal favorite was always my kids’ lunch song: First you take the baloney, then the maccaroni, then you take the cheese and the pepper makes you sneeze...aaaachooo!) You don’t usually hear all that joy up and down the block during the summer.
Now don’t get me wrong. I love summer. The long sunny days, which offer plenty of hours to eat outside at cafes around the “neighb” are certainly something to celebrate. And of course, there are summer vacations—this year we went to Austria, Italy and France (where I got to visit the home of my favorite author, F. Scott Fitzgerald)—which create memories that last a lifetime. But if you ask me, the best time of year is Fall, when school begins. As old as I am, to me the new year will always begin in September not January, because September (and in some places late August) is when kids everywhere are opening fresh new notebooks, writing with sharpened pencils that have not yet worn down the eraser or been chewed in the middle, and drawing with markers that have not yet had the chance to dry out, or crayons that have not been broken. There’s a joy in that feeling of possibility. I always remember thinking: this is going to be the best year yet!
For all of you out there, I certainly hope it is. And I also hope that as you move along through the school year, you remember that learning doesn’t just come from textbooks and homework assignments. Sometimes it can come from just being with your friends and practicing kindness. Or playing a team sport and discovering ways to be a part of the whole. Education can also come from mistakes—I like to think of those as opportunities to do better the next time and never give up. Once in a while, lessons can even be learned by just sitting quietly by yourself, maybe reading, or drawing, or just staring up at the clouds.
As for me, I’m going to look at this new school year as one of possibilities, too. I’m hoping to begin writing some new and different projects. I am working on things that are unlike those I’ve done before—working in new mediums and writing for different age groups. It’s a little scary, and a lot exciting.
Kind of like a new school year.
Here’s to a terrific Autumn 2024!
Xo
Nancy
Now don’t get me wrong. I love summer. The long sunny days, which offer plenty of hours to eat outside at cafes around the “neighb” are certainly something to celebrate. And of course, there are summer vacations—this year we went to Austria, Italy and France (where I got to visit the home of my favorite author, F. Scott Fitzgerald)—which create memories that last a lifetime. But if you ask me, the best time of year is Fall, when school begins. As old as I am, to me the new year will always begin in September not January, because September (and in some places late August) is when kids everywhere are opening fresh new notebooks, writing with sharpened pencils that have not yet worn down the eraser or been chewed in the middle, and drawing with markers that have not yet had the chance to dry out, or crayons that have not been broken. There’s a joy in that feeling of possibility. I always remember thinking: this is going to be the best year yet!
For all of you out there, I certainly hope it is. And I also hope that as you move along through the school year, you remember that learning doesn’t just come from textbooks and homework assignments. Sometimes it can come from just being with your friends and practicing kindness. Or playing a team sport and discovering ways to be a part of the whole. Education can also come from mistakes—I like to think of those as opportunities to do better the next time and never give up. Once in a while, lessons can even be learned by just sitting quietly by yourself, maybe reading, or drawing, or just staring up at the clouds.
As for me, I’m going to look at this new school year as one of possibilities, too. I’m hoping to begin writing some new and different projects. I am working on things that are unlike those I’ve done before—working in new mediums and writing for different age groups. It’s a little scary, and a lot exciting.
Kind of like a new school year.
Here’s to a terrific Autumn 2024!
Xo
Nancy
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