On Saturday, June 9th, I sat with all of my high school peers for the last time and I walked across the stage to get my high school diploma. Leaving high school I did not think I would be that sad, but as I was sitting there and reflecting on it the days before I realized that I am really not a true kid anymore. Going to college and preparing for it is like being an adult in training, and I do not know if I am ready for the harshness of that adult world quite yet.

My first wave of sadness hit when I was outside cleaning a dusty table for all of the people coming to visit for graduation. It was hot and I was tired and stressed out about my new job at Kumon. As I was cleaning, I saw the elementary school kids on my street getting off of their bus. That day was their last day of school. Every year on our street the parents of those kids wait for them at the bus stop with a ton of water guns and balloons, ready to ambush them in celebratory, watery fun. It just so happens that my mom and the parents of other kids my age started that tradition when we first moved here when I was in elementary school.

At first, it was heart-warming, seeing that the tradition is still alive after 10 years and watching all of those kids shrieking in delight while their parents chase them around like overgrown children. However, after watching for a few more moments my smile began to fade and heart felt heavy. Of course, I felt happy for those kids and their parents, but I felt sad for myself and everyone else getting older. I wondered when was the last time I had had that much fun. As you get older, the number of people who want to have water fights with you greatly decreases, because now we think about the cost of the balloons and the time it will take to pick them up after.

A lot of my memories from being a kid seem so grand and wonderful when I reflect back on them, but I if I went back and tried to experience those same things now they would not be so grand. I know that it is necessary to become an adult and consider issues like money and politics. However, I do think that as I am growing older I can try to integrate some aspects of a child's perspective into myself and my daily life. Kids view the world in such a positive light. Everything that happens to them is fun and immortalized in their memories.

I think that in such a time of turmoil with a harsh divide between political parties everyone could do with a little bit of a childhood perspective. Rather than shutting down any opposing opinion someone may have and bullying them for having that opinion, we should respectfully listen to any opposition and respond positively. This seems to be the key to change. No one is going to listen to someone telling them that they are wrong and stupid for having a different opinion. It seems that no one even tries to consider anyone else's opinion anymore. With the light, the positive, and the fun of a kid's viewpoint perhaps we can all learn to respect each other's opinions and finally bring about change.