Dear Kiddos of Future Earth

Dear Kiddos of Future Earth,

It’s impossible to know what kind of world you’ll be living in by the time you read this.

As I write in 2025, it’s a dark time to ask such a question.

But I want to share with you the seed of hope I harbor; the one relevant and worthy thing that you can do with your life, no matter the circumstances:

Just pick a place, and love it.

Any place will do — but make it one place only.

Ideally once you’ve had the chance to explore and come to know a few.

Then pick a slice of planet, to call yours.

A place that feels safe, where your people are, also.

Put down roots in your place, and look around, and slow down, and pay attention.

Attend to its quirks, its flaws and imperfections.

Notice its bright spots and characters.

Its tiny surprises and subtle delights.

Watch the slow changing of seasons; the shifting of light.

Attend to your place, moment by moment, day after day.

Let time pass, and stand still.

And one day, you will find that you’ve fallen in love.

Through your love of something, it transforms into someone.

When you love someone, you glimpse beauty others can’t see.

You delight in their presence.

You reciprocate their gifts.

You solicit their perspective.

You work to keep them safe.

And you rack your imagination for new ways to help them thrive.

Only through attention will you fall in love.

And only through loving will you come to understand that places, like people, are not interchangeable.

“Anywhere” is not a place.

So pick your place, and love it.