Dear Maeve,

Skipping over streambeds, admiring armadillo tracks, working countless division problems with you – these are some of my most fond memories. Your endless curiosity and tireless passion never ceased to inspire me. You carry so much love for the world. And – now – I can’t bear the thought of someone so wonderfully bright and brave facing this climate crisis, knowing that you would do everything within your power to stop it right now if you could.

Tragically, I know that, no matter how much or how little progress we’ve made by the time you read this, you’ll still have to deal with it in some capacity.

It weighs heavily on me each day. It’s quite crippling actually – to know that every day we neglect to change, we neglect not only you but every other person on the earth. I certainly can’t promise that climate change will have been mitigated for you by the time you read this, but I promise I’ll do whatever I can to fix it.

It’s not your fault. It’s not your mom’s fault. It’s not the fault of the coal miners in Montana. It’s not even the fault of that obnoxious guy sporting a backwards Vineyard Vines cap who floors his Ford F-150 every time he accelerates. I don’t think there’s anyone to force the blame on, really. And I don’t think it would matter if there was. It’s just something we have to deal with now.

I can only dream that this letter finds you happy and healthy — living in a society that values your protection over its profit. And I hope that we can give you and every other person a fighting chance for a future.

Love,

Raina

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More Messages to the Future

Dear child,

The journey of humanity does not take us to Mars like the world now likes to believe. It takes us home to our true self where there is no separate self. Where we are all one. You know all this. Look after yourself my child, look after your brother, your friends, your children, all the animals and the whole planet. Love them like there is no tomorrow.

Dear next generation,

Please don’t wait to see the adverse effects instead adopt that river, stream, lake or ocean to make the world a better place.

To my dear son,

Last year most of the world’s reefs turned white at some point, but because it was underwater you and your friends didn’t see.

Dear My Future Child,

I want to sculpt a world for you where you can play outside without gas masks, an ocean to swim in without toxins, and a thick lively forest for you to wander.

to my dearest children,

Our future is being made now, and I promise to do everything in my power to make yours safe.

Dear Finley,

I wonder if in 2050 we will be looking at a future where fear from the changes at hand has caused people to hate rather than love and provide hope. Perhaps in that world we will we no longer comprehend the biblical texts in a meaningful way. Will climate change be the end of the epoch of God?

To older Rochelle,

You should’ve reduced your carbon footprint, should be using some source of renewable energy and be a vegetarian by now.

To my children – Chase, Maya and Harlan

I hope that we manage to change the system really soon, while there is still time. So that you are not left with the mess, and trying to fix something that you didn’t cause. I hope we figured out a way to be kind, and caring for others who will suffer more than us. A way to let go of the greed and look at ways we can help others rather than take from them.

Dear X—, Dear A—,

As with our struggles to eliminate police brutality, as with hate crimes, so it is with climate change – there are actually a lot of people out there who care.

I pledge to take the bus.

Dear Tomorrow,

I promise to buy organic food and run more and bike more! (I could use the exercise.)

Dear… Parents,

Let us teach our children to volunteer and donate.

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