1st September 2024
The name September comes from the the word ‘septem’ comes from the Latin ‘septa’ meaning ‘seven’.
The name September suggests that it is the seventh and not the ninth month of the year.
This makes sense because prior to the adoption of the Julian calendar, for Romans, March was the first month of the year – which made September the seventh month.
Romans should have been renamed September as ‘November’; the Latin word ‘novem’ means ‘nine’, But the Romans decided to stick with the earlier names.
As a kid growing up in the late 1960s, and early 70s, ‘Come September’ was one of the few Rock Hudson starrers that my father ever took me to. The romantic comedy, not surprisingly, failed to make an impression.
As a child I was more interested in the action & the hero smashing the villain & his cronies rather than the handsome hero wasting a lot of his time, as it seemed to me then, wooing the woman of his dreams.
Now, older and wiser, I realize that the heroine of the film, the scrumptious Gina Lollobrigida, was definitely worth pursuing. But as a young 10-year-old, both she and her meaningless romance with Rock Hudson left me cold.
The film would have been permanently erased from memory had it not been for the truly amazing music provided by the Ventures. The title track went on to become a classic, and remains a favourite till date.
September also heralds the onset of Autamn & end of the oppressive heat of the summer for us.
But, September always reminds me of ‘Teachers Day,’ The day we all remember and salute the role our teachers have played in moulding our life and I fervently wish that each teacher experiences the high that the main characters did in films like ‘To Sir, with love’, ‘Mr. Holland’s Opus’ and ‘Goodbye, Mr Chips’.
I hope every teacher gets the kind of teary-eyed send off that the teacher in ‘Mr. Holland’s Opus’ did.
As a former student, I would love to go to my alma mater and mouth the unforgettable sentence, “There is not a life in this room that you have not touched. Each one of us is a better person because of you” and then break into a song as Lulu did in the old classic, ‘To Sir, with love.”
In India, September is also the month of the start of the festive season with Ganesh Chaturthi.
To a wonderful September full of fun & frolic, greater heights & bigger milestones.
Stay blessed forever.
PS: don’t forget to check out the unforgettable title track.