IT'S that time of year again. The evenings are beginning to draw in, summer is slipping quietly away and, once upon a time, the Cupar Street gang knew exactly what that meant. In the words of Christy Moore, "All I can remember is dreading September and school."
I remember that feeling well.
The new school uniform appeared, along with a new school bag, pencil case and freshly covered schoolbooks. Long before fancy plastic book covers, we protected ours with whatever wallpaper was left over from decorating the house. You could arrive at school carrying an arithmetic book covered in roses or woodchip!
But beneath all the excitement of new things was one heartfelt wish: That summer would never end.
My Cupar Street comrades felt exactly the same. Those seemingly endless summer days of freedom were coming to a close, but we had a plan. We would stick together and somehow get through it. All for one and one for all.
I went to St Gall’s Primary School, and I remember how our gang assembled in the mornings. One would call at another’s house, then the two would collect the third, until eventually this little band of reluctant scholars made its way towards school. There was safety in numbers.
Meanwhile, our elders kept telling us, "These are the happiest days of your lives."
We weren’t convinced.
Looking back now, having travelled beyond three score and ten, I realise there was wisdom in those days that I couldn’t possibly have recognised at the time. School wasn’t simply about sums, spelling, history or geography. Somewhere along the way, a seed was planted – the desire to learn.
Thankfully, that seed is still growing.
I have come to realise that education doesn’t finish when we leave school. In fact, some of the most important lessons begin afterwards. Every day really is a school day if we remain curious enough to notice.
That is why I now love this time of year. Instead of dreading September, I look forward to it. I enjoy perusing the programmes of classes, courses and workshops available to us as mature students. We are incredibly fortunate in West Belfast. From Divis to Twinbrook and beyond, the Falls Road and surrounding communities offer opportunities to study, learn new skills, explore our history, discover languages, develop creativity and, importantly, meet other people.
There is something wonderful about returning to learning because you want to rather than because somebody tells you that you have to.
Perhaps that is the great gift of growing older: Curiosity becomes less about passing exams and more about keeping ourselves alive to the world.
A great friend once said something to me about education that has stayed with me ever since: “That’s what made me, and education is easily carried.”
What a wonderful thought.
Nobody can take learning away from you. It requires no suitcase, takes up no room in your pocket and becomes lighter rather than heavier the further you carry it.
So when September arrives these days, I think affectionately of that Cupar Street gang heading reluctantly towards St Gall’s, our wallpaper-covered books tucked under our arms.
Little did we know that the journey to school had only just begun.
And I’m delighted to say, I’m still on it.
