Full Corn Moon

Sometimes this month's moon is also called the Fruit Moon; such monikers were used for a full moon that occurs during the first week of September, so as to keep the Harvest Moon from coming too early in the calendar.
.. just my little FYI of the month!! Hope you get to use this information today :)

For me, September has always been the beginning of the year. I have lived this timetable forever, and remember having an "ah ha" moment when my mom told me that when she went on vacation from work, the whole time she was there new work was still coming to her desk! That is life for everyone who works a whole year!! UGG...that really stinks. I like that my life has a beginning middle and end every year. I like the closure of June and the fresh beginning of September. There is always hope in that life.

I am sure you remember that when you went to school. You were always going to have a great year...new supplies would allow you to get your homework done in a timely fashion and not let things slide...You would love your teacher...and make new friends...it was going to be the best year of your life! You had positive expectations and that is a very good place to be...even if only for a little while.

Well, I have begun a new job in a new school system and this has given me the opportunity to think about that again. Even though I have had some first day (week) nervousness, I have been able to look at the situation and reflect on my past expereinces.

And... the one thing that has jumped out at me was how kind the administration has been to me. They have all treated me as though they are lucky to have me and taken the time to say it in front of me...which has really made me feel so welcome! I have always gotten along with my peers and have been lucky to work with many wonderful teachers...truly gifted and sooooo nice. But can't always say that for administration...maybe they forget that as they move up the ladder, which is too bad because good manners do count.

Which gets to my story of John. Everyone who knows him is aware of the many, many acts of kindness he was able to accomplish in his life...and I will probably use them as my starting point for as long as I can write these blogs...but I thought I would tell you of a time that he was so hurt by someone's lack of it.

When the band started to become popular people wrote about them in music blogs. Well, once, a person wrote a horrible blog saying not just that they were bad musicians but went on and on about how he wished they would all die and their families would die too...it was just plain mean. This person didn't know us (at least I don't think they did...if they did know us they could have probably have grounds for saying some stuff...we all let John carry the kindness banner for the family while the rest of us loafed) and of course, anything can be said on a blog without identifing yourself...so who cares, right? Well, let me tell you, it bothered John more than you can imagine...mostly because he couldn't get why someone would, or could, get so worked up to say things like that in a public forum. It was so out of his realm of comprehension! He didn't speak of it often but the one time he brought it up he even showed us the site, so I know he was hurt beyond belief. The funny thing about it is that they didn't even say anything too bad about him personally ...just something like the drummer is guilty by association...but it didn't matter to John...mean is mean any way you cut it.

Which gets to my current point about just having good manners, or treating people as you would like to be treated...I wonder about that post now, that John is dead...does that person feel bad? Does he wish he could just take it back? Well, he can't change the damage he did to John...but maybe we can all think a little before we put in print things we can't take back...it would be nice if we could also at least take today to also take a minute to think how what we say to people also hurts..but in the heat of the moment it is difficult to do. Written language is something different..we have the abilty to put that aside and reflect before it is published. So today, let's try to just use some good manners and think before we act...sometimes it comes back to you in ways (good or bad) that you would never imagine.

Good luck
:)