Over the course of the last few weeks, a small trickle has grown into a gushing current. It has acted much like the rising waters of a flood. Fortunately, also like the behavior of a flood, it seems to have crested in the last few days. Thankfully, unlike a flood, this deluge is filled with considerably more delight. I’m talking of course of the near complete takeover of our social media news feeds with first-day-of-the-new-school-year photographs. If it hadn’t been for all the new foods at the MN State Fair, first-day pics might have been all we’ve had to look at.
I’ll confess that in past years I too was part of the problem. In fact, looking back at the history of my own posting this time of year will quickly reveal plenty of first-day contributions featuring my own kids. This is maybe the first fall since I joined Facebook (in 2008) that I haven’t shared a photo of Della or Bjorn, backpacks in tow and dressed to impress. Does this mean, they’ve finally grown up? Does it mean I have? I’m beginning to suspect it might.
Photos of all these young people do reveal how quickly children grow and every first-day pic is further confirmation that time marches on in steady fashion. To see these kids turning into younger but still aging versions of their parents offers a particular delight for those we may have known for a long time. How often have I exclaimed, “wow she looks just like her mom did in high school!” or “he has that same mischievous grin his father had when we first met!”
I always feel a little bad for those kids of my friends who live on the coasts. They’re the ones that signal the start of first-day pic season. Those early shots at the door or bus stop, backpacks on and new jeans and shoes on display, start to appear in early August. Our families here in MN can give thanks for our post-Labor Day start, but these kids too must join the photographic parade.
You might also note that there’s a sub-genre of first-day pics that too signals the start of a new school year, college-move-in-day photos. These pics embody such hopeful optimism with their neatly made beds topped by fluffed pillows, alongside closets and desktops tidily organized. For many, this will likely be the only day these rooms will appear as such.
Say what you will about the ills of social media, but I would propose that the annual spectacle of first-day pics can be a pleasingly beneficial moment of recalibration for us all. Yes, time continues to march on but every new moment, each new year is embedded with promise and possibility. And this doesn’t change just because we grow old. Remember, God is always making things new. You don’t have to stay where you are, you too are being invited into this new year. So put on those new jeans and shiny sneakers, comb your hair and pack your bag. It’s time to get going.
May God’s peace find you today. -Pastor Peter
Let us pray… God of delight, bring your blessings to all who are starting new school years, students, teachers, parents and all who love and support them. By their witness, remind us how you’re always making something new. With each new learning and discovery, fuel our curiosity about the world and the work we share in its care. Reveal to us the promises that remain and the possibilities that offer renewal. Amen.