Dear Friends,

Every year at this time, the nostalgia hits hard. There is a certain sense of purpose, rhythm and ritual that comes when Summer transitions to Fall. It feels like just yesterday I was picking out my favorite binders, a new bookbag and the best outfit possible to stroll down the halls on the first day of school. I was always full of hope for the new start and the possibilities for all that I could be. While I don’t know if any school year ever lived up to those great expectations that my heart and mind conjured at the start of each school year, my hopeful spirit never failed to embrace the newness and all the possibility that came along with it.

As the clock turns towards Autumn and the school busses roll down the streets, I hope we can pack our spiritual backpacks with all the tools we need—not only tools to make it to class, but eternal tools that will allow us to meet the moments of our lives with wisdom, grit and grace. Even if we are out of school, the learning never ends.

To all who are going back to school, to all those who support them and to all of us who still get some kind of glimmer of newness and excitement as August turns to September, have a great school year!

Love,
Cheryl