Community Voices for Health

By: Janice Johnson-Plumer

I can’t believe the first day of school has come upon us. Where has the summer gone?

I can remember my son entering kindergarten; I remember the tears on that first day of school and not being able to pull myself away from him. Now, time has passed and he is going into 6^th grade.

September is a crazy and hectic month. My father-in-law’s birthday, husband’s birthday, and our wedding anniversary are all in the same week! I recently planned a combination party to celebrate all three events. It was stressful trying to keep it all a surprise, but it went off without a hitch.

September is also a time for me to sit back and try to reflect on the previous months.

This year, I suffered the loss of my mother. Not having her here to share in my son’s first day of school, and making sure that my dad is doing okay and keeping busy has been tough.

I have learned that you can’t take anything for granted or expect things to stay constant. I learned that death has a way of bringing out the worst in people and that the people who you thought would be there for you, may not be. If it weren’t for my husband’s support and my son’s hectic sport schedule, I wouldn’t know what to do.

However, as I think about how far I have come in my life, I realize it hasn’t been that bad. I have gained wisdom, knowledge and strength. I have gained new friends and new opportunities at work. I have been at my lowest point, but God has given me the strength to preserve.

I also look at this time as an opportunity for renewal. I promised myself I would be more organized and would get ready for my son’s school year.

I’m putting an emphasis on being in the present and not worrying about whoever is texting, emailing, or tweeting me. I have to learn that the bills will get paid, work will always be there and there will always be something to offset the course of life. But one thing is true: my son will only be 11 once and I have to treasure every moment. After all, my son will continue to grow by the second and before you know it, I will be dropping him off at college. When I am dead tired and my son is telling me about his day, I have to listen intently and take full advantage of our time together because one day he will be telling his wife or girlfriend about his day. So when I am in the middle of cleaning the floor on my hands and knees and it takes me longer to get up, I will make every effort to give him hug when he asks for one.

I know where my focus is, and it’s on my son and my family. Time waits for no man and I want to make sure I don’t want to miss out on the important moments in life.

What are you doing to start this school year anew? Where are you directing your time and energies?