I just spent a couple of hours hosting 15 adolescents at my house —
nine 5th grade girls along with a panel of six middle schoolers, from various schools.

We'd invited the big girls to give the "little" girls the down-low —
on homework, field trips, lockers and what not.
Y'know.
The kind of stuff the principals and magnet directors and headmasters might, um, not mention at all.

And this isn't a very profound way to describe it, but it was really cute. 
Cute and inspiring and funny and thoughtful and enlightening.
It was.

Some of the 5th graders are eager, some are intimidated.
But all of the middle schoolers are articulate and honest and generous.

When I was 10, 11, 12 and 13, we didn't really have choices like this.
We just went to the next school.
And the idea that there are choices can be kind of overwhelming.

So thank goodness for the village. 
For mentors.
For folks one step ahead — in school, in work, in craft, in parenting, in growing old, in life.

If we've got touchstones and advice and support and people we can count on, choice is exciting rather than just overwhelming. And I'm really grateful for that.