Bill Graham's Blog
August 22, 2013
First day at School. Dear Teacher
Dear Teacher,
I thought I would drop you a little note regarding my little girl. You see she starts school today, so I suppose I am handing her over to you. You will recognise our Katrina easily. She has lovely dark hair that bounces and shines in the sunlight and a happy laugh that ripples all day long. Oh! And she also has beautiful blue eyes that will capture your heart when she gazes into your face.
She is slipping out of the gate of my heart this morning. And hand in hand with her mum, she will skip down the street to her first day at school and I know that never again will she be completely mine.
Prim and proud, she will wave a little independent hand as she walks with little lady like steps into the school playground. I'm afraid gone soon will be the little chatterbox who lived only for play. Now she will learn to stand in line, and wait for her name to be called. She will learn to tune her little ears for the sound of the school bells. She will learn to giggle and gossip and to look at the ceiling of the classroom with apparent disinterest when a little boy across the room sticks out his tongue. She will learn to be jealous and what it feels to be hurt deep inside. But now she will learn how not to cry.
Soon she will worry about important things, like grades, what to wear and whose best friend is whose. Now she will worry about the little boy who pulls her hair and staying after school and which little girls like which little boys. The magic of books the written word and knowledge will take the place of the magic of her dolls and playthings.
No doubt she will find new heroes. For the past few years I have been her pal and playmate before she went to bed. Her storyteller, santa claus and most important her friend. Now teacher she will learn to share her worship and adoration with you, which is only right. But no longer will I be the smartest, greatest man in the world.
So today when the school bell rings, she will learn what it is to be part of a group, with all its privileges and the disadvantages too. She will quickly learn that proper young ladies do not laugh out loud at rude jokes. Today, she will begin to learn for the first time that all who smile at her are not necessarily her friends, that the group can be a demanding mistress.
You see, up to now she has been queen of the roost. And I suppose spoiled just a bit. I have always been there to soothe and repair her feelings. But now, well things are going to be a bit different.
This morning she will walk down the front steps, wave her hand and start out on a great adventure that might take her across continents, across oceans, an adventure that will probably include wars, tragedies and sorrow. She will learn that to live her life in the world she will inherit will require faith, love and a great deal of charity and courage.
So teacher I hope you will sort of look after her. Take her by the hand and teach her things she will have to know. But please do it gently if you can.
You will have to teach her that all men are not just and all men are not true. And that the world is not a fair place. Teach her also that, for every scoundrel, there is a hero. For every crooked politician, there is a dedicated leader and for every enemy there is an abundance of friends.
I know that all this will take time teacher. But teach her if you can that money earned is so much more valuable than money found. Teach her to learn how to lose, so that she can enjoy the pleasure of winning that much more. Steer her away from envy and teach her the secret of a quiet knowing smile.
Let her learn as soon as possible that in the playground, the bully is the easiest one to beat. And teach her if you can the wonder of books and pictures and sometimes let her ponder the eternal mystery of birds on the wing, bees in the sun and the flowers in the fields.
As she grows up please teach her that it is more honourable to fail rather than to cheat. To have faith in her own ideas, even if everyone says they are wrong, to be gentle with gentle people and tough with tough people. Try to instil in her the strength not to follow the mob when everyone else is getting on the bandwagon. To listen to all but to filter all she hears on a screen of truth and takes just the good that siphons through.
If you can? Teach her how to laugh when she is sad. But tell her how there is no shame in tears when she is sad. Tell her there can be glory in failure and despair in success. Teach her to scoff at cynics and to be wary of too much sweetness. To sell her brains to the highest bidder but never to put price tags on her heart and soul. That she should close her ears to a howling mob but to stand and fight for what is right. Tell her that there are times when a woman must gamble and there are times when a woman must simply walk away.
So please treat her gently teacher, if you can. But don't coddle her, because only the test of fire makes fine steel. Let her have the courage to be impatient and the patience to be brave. Let her be no man's woman and to always have sublime faith in herself, because then she will always have sublime faith in mankind.
I know I am giving you quite a tall order, but see what you can do.
You see, she is such a lovely wee girl, my girl.
Thank you in anticipation
Her Dad
Bill Graham
I thought I would drop you a little note regarding my little girl. You see she starts school today, so I suppose I am handing her over to you. You will recognise our Katrina easily. She has lovely dark hair that bounces and shines in the sunlight and a happy laugh that ripples all day long. Oh! And she also has beautiful blue eyes that will capture your heart when she gazes into your face.
She is slipping out of the gate of my heart this morning. And hand in hand with her mum, she will skip down the street to her first day at school and I know that never again will she be completely mine.
Prim and proud, she will wave a little independent hand as she walks with little lady like steps into the school playground. I'm afraid gone soon will be the little chatterbox who lived only for play. Now she will learn to stand in line, and wait for her name to be called. She will learn to tune her little ears for the sound of the school bells. She will learn to giggle and gossip and to look at the ceiling of the classroom with apparent disinterest when a little boy across the room sticks out his tongue. She will learn to be jealous and what it feels to be hurt deep inside. But now she will learn how not to cry.
Soon she will worry about important things, like grades, what to wear and whose best friend is whose. Now she will worry about the little boy who pulls her hair and staying after school and which little girls like which little boys. The magic of books the written word and knowledge will take the place of the magic of her dolls and playthings.
No doubt she will find new heroes. For the past few years I have been her pal and playmate before she went to bed. Her storyteller, santa claus and most important her friend. Now teacher she will learn to share her worship and adoration with you, which is only right. But no longer will I be the smartest, greatest man in the world.
So today when the school bell rings, she will learn what it is to be part of a group, with all its privileges and the disadvantages too. She will quickly learn that proper young ladies do not laugh out loud at rude jokes. Today, she will begin to learn for the first time that all who smile at her are not necessarily her friends, that the group can be a demanding mistress.
You see, up to now she has been queen of the roost. And I suppose spoiled just a bit. I have always been there to soothe and repair her feelings. But now, well things are going to be a bit different.
This morning she will walk down the front steps, wave her hand and start out on a great adventure that might take her across continents, across oceans, an adventure that will probably include wars, tragedies and sorrow. She will learn that to live her life in the world she will inherit will require faith, love and a great deal of charity and courage.
So teacher I hope you will sort of look after her. Take her by the hand and teach her things she will have to know. But please do it gently if you can.
You will have to teach her that all men are not just and all men are not true. And that the world is not a fair place. Teach her also that, for every scoundrel, there is a hero. For every crooked politician, there is a dedicated leader and for every enemy there is an abundance of friends.
I know that all this will take time teacher. But teach her if you can that money earned is so much more valuable than money found. Teach her to learn how to lose, so that she can enjoy the pleasure of winning that much more. Steer her away from envy and teach her the secret of a quiet knowing smile.
Let her learn as soon as possible that in the playground, the bully is the easiest one to beat. And teach her if you can the wonder of books and pictures and sometimes let her ponder the eternal mystery of birds on the wing, bees in the sun and the flowers in the fields.
As she grows up please teach her that it is more honourable to fail rather than to cheat. To have faith in her own ideas, even if everyone says they are wrong, to be gentle with gentle people and tough with tough people. Try to instil in her the strength not to follow the mob when everyone else is getting on the bandwagon. To listen to all but to filter all she hears on a screen of truth and takes just the good that siphons through.
If you can? Teach her how to laugh when she is sad. But tell her how there is no shame in tears when she is sad. Tell her there can be glory in failure and despair in success. Teach her to scoff at cynics and to be wary of too much sweetness. To sell her brains to the highest bidder but never to put price tags on her heart and soul. That she should close her ears to a howling mob but to stand and fight for what is right. Tell her that there are times when a woman must gamble and there are times when a woman must simply walk away.
So please treat her gently teacher, if you can. But don't coddle her, because only the test of fire makes fine steel. Let her have the courage to be impatient and the patience to be brave. Let her be no man's woman and to always have sublime faith in herself, because then she will always have sublime faith in mankind.
I know I am giving you quite a tall order, but see what you can do.
You see, she is such a lovely wee girl, my girl.
Thank you in anticipation
Her Dad
Bill Graham
