The end of innocence'
It begins when the tooth fairy stops
When we realize Mickey is only a cartoon
When we see that the Easter Bunny's candy has a price tag
When there's nothing at the end of the rainbow
When we know mermaids don't exist
When shooting stars are just stars
When the person you adore winks out of existence
When snow becomes a danger instead of a toy
When the summer no longer lasts forever
When we start watching movies without talking animals
When we quit wondering why
When we forget how to dream
When there aren't fairies in the trees and gnomes in the grass
When we start obeying the rule not to jump on the bed
When we make rules instead of breaking them
When we place age restrictions on everything we do
When toy guns are replaced by machine guns
When we play with our friend's kids instead of dolls
When bicycles with plastic horns are traded in for cars with loud stereos
When we find ourselves hastily waiting for the end
When the days where nothing has to end are no longer the best we can imagine
When microwaves replace play kitchens
When we feel the need to run everywhere
When we being wishing for night rather than hurrying the morning along
When clothing becomes a way of expression versus an encumbrance
When the family dog is more of a chore than a joy
When 25-cent jewelry from a bubble gum machine isn't satisfying
When plastic pearls are exchanged for silver and diamonds
When we see how much we've wasted on things that didn't matter
When we learn that the things that mattered most were what we ignored
When discovery is ignored because it doesn't show us what we want it to
The End of Innocence: When people start telling us why and why just isn't enough.