Finally, the first day of school

Ah, the smell of freshly sharpened pencils. The feel of crisp notebooks. The sound of new books opening and closing. There is something about the start of a school year that always promises an exciting beginning. The first day of school is often the only day where anticipation overwhelms boredom, resentment, stress and outright defiance. Homework and projects hover in the future. Friends await in the classroom. Grades have yet to be filed.
I'm long gone from campus, but as a parent I'm always invigorated with hope when my kids start another school year. Of course it means more work for me -- lunches to be packed, homework to be checked, trips to be taxied. But there's comfort in routine.
As I told my niece, who struggled toward the end of last year: "Today is the first day of the rest of your life."