I Wish For

This appears in the January 2012 issue of the Excelsior.

I wish for a world

            with more mentors and tutors

            for my children,

            and a world

            that has less need

            for more mentors and tutors.

I wish for a world

            with more food in food banks

            for my children and their families,

            and a world

            that has less need

            for more food in food banks.

I wish for a world

            with more homes

            for the homeless

            among my children and their families,

            and a world that has less need

            to build more homes for the homeless.

I wish for a world

            with more shoes donated

            for my children,

            and a world

            that has less need

            for donated shoes.

I wish for a world

            with more coats

            hats

            mittens

            and boots available

            for my children

            in the winter,

            and a world

            where that availability

            doesn’t depend

            on the goodness of others.

I wish for a world

            in which my children

            have the glasses and hearing aids

            that they need,

            and for a world

            that believes that even poor kids

            should be able

            to see

            a teacher’s writing

            on the board.

I wish for a world

            with more mental health services

            for my children,

            and a world

            that doesn’t view the need

            as different from

            any other need

            of children.

I wish for a world

            in which all children

            have library cards,

            and regularly visit libraries

            as part of their childhood.

I wish for a world

            in which all children dream

            of futures bright

            and each day work

            with their parents

            teachers

            mentors

            and friends

            to make their little lights shine.

Michael F. Rice, Ph.D.

Superintendent

Kalamazoo Public Schools