Back To School

Back To School
By David Stoddard

At last, finally, hooray summer is almost over. The kids are heading back to school, and you can have the house to yourself (at least for a few hours during the day). Then at night, while the kids are doing homework, you get to sit back and see who becomes the next “Big Brother” champ.

Ok, I know it’s the 8th one that is going on now, and yes, I had lost interest in it after the third time around. But hey, what else is there to watch that isn’t reality television at its finest? But I digress.

This time of year, especially the shopping for school supplies, was always fun for me. There was just something about those pen/pencil erasers, the binders with the different color folders, the zippered pencil holders and those pencil sharpeners that look like tiny snow globes were joys to behold.

Even back then, after shaking off the jolt having to get up early in the morning again, school was actually fairly fun (at least for the first week or two).

But something happens as we get older and get away from the classroom scene. We slow down our interest in learning. Sometimes, it even comes to a halt for a while.

It’s not so much that we avoid it on purpose, it just doesn’t become a priority. As “adults,” we have other things to do that take over our lives. Jobs, domestic chores, yard work, household projects, getting the car ready for the winter or summer seasons, taking kids to soccer, piano or ballet lessons and so much more demands our attention.

While having so much to do does give us a sense of accomplishment, something must be said about always learning.

It’s been said when you stop learning, you start dying. When you stop working toward something, you begin to slip into a state of contentment. And if you stay there long enough, you start to lose interest in so much more.

While I’ll admit that may be a little bit over the top for many, the feelings of learning something new (especially when it is something you choose to learn) can only make you feel better, more alive.

My advice (which I hope to follow myself this season) is to take a class in something. Sit in that desk, tell the class who you are, why you are there, what you have been and what you hope to accomplish by taking the course.

And for those who have kids of their own who are “suffering” through another year (188 days or so) of reading, writing, arithmetic and recess, maybe you will be lucky by being a part of their homework assignments.

It’ll give you something to do, something to work towards, something to complain to the teacher about when you get so much homework from different courses that there just is “no way” you could be expected to get it all done in time.

Hey! It could be worse. You could be on national television, making friends and enemies with a houseful of strangers all trying to stab each other in the back in hopes of showing the world what a great all around person you are.


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(c) David Stoddard - All Rights Reserved
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