That is a twofer story: It primarily is about the importance of education and winning the child to your side by caring and effort to find that magical personality link that motivates children to want to be there. That first day of school many times sets the scene for every year that follows. My first grade teacher was a nun by the name of Sister Mary James. Most of the time nice, but had what seemed like a weird joy in smacking 6 year old's knuckles with a ruler. Not the best of memories.
The second, more subtle but also life changing is describing the beginning of the roller coaster ride that is parenthood. How many times in their childhood to adulthood (and beyond) do we have to smile and show support when inside we are being torn apart. First day of school, first days of middle school, graduation from high school, first boyfriend (or girlfriend), first days of college, hoping that you taught them the lessons they needed to have the strength to make the right decisions while there until the graduation, hearing about the excitement of engagement, the joy of their wedding. We as parents hide our fears, our doubts, our feelings of loss, continued worries of decisions made or yet to be made. Women, at least have the outlet of being able to socially let their emotions out. As men, we feel, especially with daughters, the need to show strength in an effort to let them know that there is a strength they can count on long into adulthood. It is finally starting to give men that break of being able to feel and show emotion without fear of appearing weak and helpless, but it has been a long road.
I don't know, maybe I'm reading to much in a simple first day of school experience, but to paraphrase Shrek, life is like an onion, composed of layers, that you peel back one layer at a time to display a whole new and different section.
