As I sit here at my desk overlooking Arundel Square (aka Gryffindog’s Park), groups of children, looking ready for anything in their perfectly pressed uniforms, head back to school after the summer holidays. Still unburdened by the weight of heavy backpacks, there’s an obvious lightness to their step, a visible sense of excitement.

Though I have no wardrobe upgrade as of yet, nor even a fresh hairdo, I fully share their enthusiasm. For me, September is the real New Year. A legacy of a lifetime in academia, as a student, career educator, and parent? Perhaps. But I'm not alone.

For many of us, September isn't just about getting back to school, work, life. It's more than that: September is the time, after a long, restful break, to get back to the business of serving others.