By Jody Worsham
All rights
reserved for the Happy Dance!
I have
experienced this euphoria on the eve of the most wonderful time of the year
before, but like hot dogs on the Fourth
of July and turkey on Thanksgiving, it is an annual thing.
I passed
through the school supply aisles at Wal-Mart this morning. The scent of glue sticks, crayons, and pink
rubber erasers filled the air creating a sense of euphoria and hope in this
full time Medicare Mom.
Bins were
brimming with yellow #2 pencils, brightly colored pencil sharpeners, and
scissors of all kinds: blunt, pointy, lefties,
righties, plastic and metal. Bottles of
Elmer’s Glue in all sizes were stacked to the very edge of the shelves. I was becoming light headed and giddy.
Ring binders
were lined up and standing like sentinels awaiting assignments. The end caps were being stacked head high
with notebook paper: wide rule, college
rule, no rule. Eight colors of folders
with or without pockets, with or without brads, plastic or paper glistened like
a long awaited rainbow offering hope after 40 days and 40 nights of no school.
I rounded
the corner and actually swooned at the sight of cartons of kleenex tissue,
paper towels, zip lock plastic bags, and bottles of hand sanitizers filling the
aisles as they awaited their turn to be placed on the school supply shelves.
I bought two
boxes of crayons and two pencil boxes; then plastic pocket folders in every
color, scissors, notebook paper, glue sticks and bottles, a ruler just in case,
and four spiral note books. I got two
lunch kits, two thermos bottles and 150 plastic sandwich bags. It was glorious!
As I rounded
the corner heading for the check-out line, I burst into song “It’s the most
wonderful time of the year. “ School bells are ringing and children are
screaming and parents are grinning ear to ear!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.”
I couldn’t help myself. I was a racehorse with the finish line in
sight, a marathon runner seeing the last mile marker, the exit ramp on the
freeway with no cars in sight. I was about to be home free. School
starts in 16 days, 6 hours, 28 minutes, 12 seconds…11 seconds…10… I will not think that it is only 90 days
until Thanksgiving break when school is out for nine and a half days. Like Scarlet,” I will think about that
tomorrow.” But for now…
“It’s the
most wonderful time of the year!”
