Rebecca Goodwin of Danvers, Mass., writes to The Boston Globe’s letters page:

I WAS running around with typical errands – picking kids up from school, cleaning the house, laundry, paying bills, getting dinner – all the chaotic daily chores of a working mother. In the middle of my self-induced whirlwind, my 6-year-old son handed me a letter he wrote to the president at school: “Dear President Obama, Congratulations! Please make no more wars. I will not litter. Sincerely, Michael Goodwin.”
In times such as these, with the economy struggling, people out of work, our healthcare and schools in disarray, and global turmoil, his letter made me stop in my tracks. As I hugged him, glad for this brief moment of peace, I thought, why not? It should be as simple as that. Make no more wars and I promise not to litter. Give everyone a job and I promise to clean my room.

Great! Surrender in Iraq and I promise to recycle. Let the mullahs go nuclear and I promise to carpool when I go to buy fair-trade coffee. Stand idly by while those goofy foreigners slaughter everyone in Sudan and I promise to sign up for an authentic African-style interpetative dance fundraising event commemorating the Rwandan genocide. It really is that simple!