I hereby officially tender my resignation as an adult.  I have decided
I would like to accept the responsibilities of a 6 year old again.

     I want to go to McDonald's and think that it's a four star restaurant.
I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make ripples with
rocks.  I want to think M&Ms are better than money, because you can eat
them.  I want to play kickball during recess and paint with watercolors in
art.  I want to lie under a big Oak tree and run a lemonade stand with my
friends on a hot summers' day.

     I want to return to a time when life was simple.  When all you knew
were colors, addition tables and simple nursery rhymes, but that didn't
bother you, because you didn't know what you didn't know and you didn't
care.  When all you knew was to be happy because you didn't know allthe
things that should make you worried and upset.  I want to think thatthe
world is fair.  That everyone in it is honest and good.  I want to believe
that anything is possible.

     Somewhere in my youth... I matured and I learned too much. I learned
of nuclear weapons, war, prejudice, starvation and abused children.  I
learned of lies, unhappy marriages, suffering, illness, pain and death.  I
learned of a world where men left their families to go and fight for our
country, and returned only to end up living on the streets... begging for
their next meal.  I learned of a world where children knew how to kill...
and did!!

     What happened to the time when we thought that everyone would live
forever, because we didn't grasp the concept of death?  When we thought the worst thing in the world was if someone took the jump rope from you or
picked you last for kickball?  I want to be oblivious to the complexity of
life and be overly excited by little things once again.  I want to return
to the days when reading was fun and music was clean.

     When television was used to report the news or for family
entertainment and not to promote sex, violence and deceit.  I remember
being naive and thinking that everyone was happy because I was.  I would
walk on the beach and only think of the sand between my toes and the
prettiest seashell I could find.  I would spend my afternoons climbing
trees and riding my bike.  I didn't worry about time, bills or where I was
going to find the money to fix my car.  I used to wonder what I was going
to do or be when I grew up, not worry about what I'll do if this doesn't
work out.

     I want to live simple again.  I don't want my day to consist of
computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in the month than there is money in the bank, doctor bills,
gossip, illness and loss of loved ones.  I want to believe in the power of
smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination,
mankind and making angels in the snow.  I want to be 6 again.