moonwindstarsky

[In response to the prot telling the therapist that there is no
government] "What if no one notices that something needs to be done?
What if someone knows something needs to be done but refused to do
it? What if a person decides to do nothing?"

"That doesn't happen on K-PAX."

"Never?"

"What would be the point?"

"Well, to express dissatisfaction over the wages being paid, for one
thing."

"We don't have 'wages' on K-PAX. Or money of any kind."

I jotted this down. "No money? What do you barter with?"

"We don't 'barter'. You really should learn to listen to your
patients, doctor. I told you before--if something needs to be done,
you do it. If someone needs something you have, you give it to him.
This avoids a multitude of problems and has worked pretty well on our
PLANET for several billion years."

<snip>

"At what age did you begin school?"

"There are no schools on K-PAX."

"I'm not surprised. But you are obviously an educated person."

"I am not a 'person'. I am a being. All K-PAXians are educated.
But education does not come from schools. Education stems from the
desire to learn. With that, you don't need school. Without it, all
the schools in the UNIVERSE are useless."

<snip>

"One final question. You have said that your childhood was a happy
one. Did you have other children to play with?"

"Hardly any. There are very few children anywhere on K-PAX, as I
have indicated. Besides that, there is no distinction between 'work'
and 'play' on our PLANET. On EARTH, children are encouraged to play
all the time. This is because you believe they should remain
innocent of their approaching adulthood for as long as possible,
apparently because the latter is so distasteful. On K-PAX, children
and adults are all part of the same thing. On our PLANET life is
fun, and interesting. There is no need for mindless games, either
for children or adults. No need for escape into soap operas,
football, alcohol, or other drugs. Did I have a happy childhood on K-
PAX? Of course. And a happy adulthood as well."


Someone once said, "It is never to late to have a happy childhood."

Isn't childhood the most wonderful time!! I think that is when we
are elated
about EVERYTHING and if we are *lucky* enough to appreciate, it sets
the tone
for the whole rest of our lives.

No matter how old we get,
we can always be truly young again by recapturing these times in our
minds even
if only for a moment or two and the joy it brings up our spirits! Ah!
- the simple pleasures!!