A few months ago we had Homecoming at my daughters’ school. The entire week was filled with so many fun activities for the students: Spirit Week (remember that?)! On any given day my girls would come home with red or pink paint on their faces, crazy outfits and many, many pics of them and their friends having so much fun. Each day involved a “theme” and they would dress-up. Throughout the week, they competed against each grade for the ‘best’ (aka: best banner, best hallway, tug-of-war winners, etc). Each grade created and choreographed a singing/dancing entertainment piece on stage for an event called ‘Sing for Your Supper.’ It is one of the highlights of the week. Saturday brought multiple Homecoming games… Football, Girls Varsity Soccer, Girls Varsity Field Hockey, a Chili Cook-off, and of course, the Homecoming Dance. It simply was a party for six days straight.
Homecoming weekend is about ‘coming back home’ for alumni. But I also wonder if it’s about ‘coming back home’ to yourself, in a sense. These kids were ‘just kids’ all week. They created, laughed, relished in their friendships, and danced! Even as a parent watching it all, I couldn’t help but be excited for them, wanting to know all the details of each day, the dance, the after party. It was truly a magical week, especially for my oldest daughter who is a senior. This idea of ‘coming home’ to oneself… maybe it’s about going back to the fun. Living a life of pure fun again. Putting aside the serious responsibilities of our lives and realizing the laughter and real, pure fun of childhood.
That’s what I witnessed this past week through the eyes of my daughters–a harkening back to the love of life. Maybe for us adults or at least this adult, Homecoming Spirit Week can be a reminder of what’s important, or at least, how to come home.
