The First Day of School Isn’t the First Day of School

Humans tend to think of hard borders between things. Binary. Black & white.

But the world is more nebulous than that. Think about a the Mississippi River flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. You might want to draw a line and say, “This side, river. That side, ocean.” But the truth is, the transition is more subtle, takes longer, and is not always exactly the same over time. There is salty water in what looks like the river part. There is continuing directional flow in what looks like the ocean part.

The transition takes time, and it isn’t always predictable – or easily visible.

The same is true for human transitions, including the one happening right now across the country. The first day of school might be on Monday on your calendar, but that doesn’t mean you haven’t already started. The last day of Summer Break might be Sunday night, but summer is going to continue for a little while, too.

Humans tend to envision hard borders, but the world is more subtle. You’ve already started school…so forgive your anxiety. Summer is continuing…so don’t put away your kayak yet.

Breathe into the soft border between summer and school. Knowing it’s there will make it easier to navigate.