It’s a beautiful day outside so I don’t see impending doom written in the clouds, but then again, you and I don’t know what to look for. Where do you see yourself in 12 years? Having your dream job, being with the person you love, having a child, traveling, etc. 12 years is a long time away; it’ll be 2030, the world will be a different place, but not for the reasons you think. And that’s fine, no one really cares about the trajectory of our world except for the small group of climate change experts and scientists who are professionally taught what to look for. So even as they tell us catastrophic effects are as close as 2030, we all sit back in our reclining chairs in our safe little houses knowing deep down we’re not going to change our ways. AND THAT’S FINE!
What you should do instead is write a list of all the people you care about and then write them all letters, expressing how much you care. Your parents, your siblings, your aunt and uncle who were like a second family, your close friends who helped you through high school, and those in college that made you see the good in people. The people you fell in love with and maybe even a letter for your unborn child who is on his or her way. After you’ve expressed all that love, make sure at the end of each letter to say goodbye. Tell them you know there is a chance that we might not make it in the next two decades. What does it matter at this point? Yeah, you could start actually trying to save the planet by becoming an environmental advocate, by protesting laws detrimental to our survival on this Earth, and by calling politicians to pass policies that won’t kill everyone you’ve ever loved. But that would take work and effort. And you’ve got a lot going on. You have school, clubs, a job, and family and friends to take care of. Is that a short-term thing? Yes, but that’s all you want to deal with right now, and is that so wrong?
It’s far easier to just say goodbye to all the people you’ve loved and cared about, a final “f*ck you” to the world as it dies because of us, and (in beautiful irony) kills us in the process. So go enjoy the weekend, hang out with friends and family and maybe you’ll even get to say goodbye to some people in person. I’ll check back in a few years and see how you’re feeling then.
~M