The Schinker Family

Today’s Shutter Sisters topic was capturing a conversation or subject we never want to forget.  Today’s picture doesn’t exactly fit the topic (there will be many first days of school for us and this one wasn’t any more  memorable than past ones), but the post had a line that caught my imagination:  This is what you look like when you’re not afraid to hope.

So today’s picture captures THAT phrase.  Because what is the first day of school, after all, but a day when we are not afraid to hope?  Children hope for a nice teacher, good friends, fun times, and a sense of accomplishment (though they rarely voice that last one).  Parents hope for learning, wisdom, safety, courage, achievement.

This shot was taken in haste out the car window.  There were bussing problems in our district this year, so it was the first year my girls didn’t ride the bus on the first day of school.  At first, I was bummed that they weren’t in the center of the shot, and that I was so far back.  Then I realized that the expense of sidewalk and them being off-center made them look smaller, more vulnerable, and even a little reluctant.  It perfectly captured everyone’s mixed feelings on the first day of school.  And if you look closely, you’ll see them holding hands. This is what you look like when you’re not afraid to hope.