Dear lil homies, make friends with firsts...

Dear lil homies,
Make friends with firsts. I know you're nervous and don't want the summer to end. You don't wanna go to that bus stop, don't wanna pack that backpack, don't wanna force your summer feet back into sneakers, but today is your first step toward next weekend. It's your first step toward next summer. The only way out is through. It's also your first step toward new friends and new experiences and toward figuring out what you want to do and who you are and who you want to be.

There will always be firsts. First days of school, first dances, first dates, first time one your own, first cars, apartments, jobs. Every week Monday gives us a new first, and every morning of every day gives us a new first to start over. A fresh start.

Firsts are not something to be dreaded or feared, but a place where once again we are all equal, a place to catch your breath and to know that you have just as much right and power as anyone else to make the most of your firsts. You come to your firsts with something no one else has: your own unique talents and abilities. Your tiny first steps may add up to something major that the whole world needs. So wipe the sleep out of your eyes, wash the summer off your face, and go rock your first day knowing that you're one step closer to next summer than you were yesterday.