Article December 31, 2007 Issue

Any moment can be a fresh start

BY STEPHANIE JOHNSON

IN THE COASTAL islands of the eastern United States there are pockets of people who still speak the Gullah language. It's a blend of African languages, with a Caribbean influence, mixed with English. The language is very beautiful and incredibly descriptive. For example, either a manatee or walrus would be called a "fish cow." That certainly paints a very accurate picture.

One of the phrases that I particularly love is dayclean. This phrase is used to indicate the dawn (see Virginia Hamilton, The People Could Fly [New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1985], p. 42). Dayclean is a word that is used in our household to indicate a fresh start—wiping the slate clean, so to speak. What a wonderful feeling not to bring yesterday's baggage to today!

At one time, when our son was in first or second grade, he'd had a particularly difficult day. He'd been in trouble for one thing after another both at school and at home. Finally, he sat back, sighed, and said, "I wish it was time to go to bed. Then I could go to sleep, and when I woke up, it would be dayclean."