Dear My Future Grandaughter

Hi sweetie it’s your grandmother here. You are years away and far from even making your appearance in this wonderful world that we live in. I just hope that one day you get to see all the trees, grasses, flowers, water, etc. You deserve the chance to hike through the mountains, see the moss growing on the oak trees, swim in the lakes and oceans, and smell the wonderful scents of this land. Your family, if they are how I am, will ensure that you spend time in the forests, by the lakes and in the mountains, enjoying all that mother nature has to offer us.

I hope that on camping trips, you will experience the mosquitos, and the sting that they have, as well as watching out for fire ants, which will also bite you. But besides these annoyances, I hope you get see the animals, flowers and trees and smell the forest after a recent rain. I hope that you will respect whatever land is still there and ensure that the it continues to growth and flourish. And that respect is maintained wherever you travel both here and in other countries. Because you see, here now, we are seeing many wildfires. Some are caused by not enough rain, and dry conditions, and a cigarette ash lands on some dry leaves, someone leaves a fire going when they leave, or even some are caused by people purposefully setting a fire. As we see more and more of these fires, I hope that they will grow back and you will be able to experience them, as I do.

I also hope that you can visit lakes, seas and oceans. I hope you can swim in the lakes, with the fishes, or ride a tube, being dragged behind a boat or relax in a tube floating down a river. I hope you can step on the beach and get sand on your feet while walking on the beach. And learn that if you use baby powder, the sand will come off easier. That you will be able to taste and smell the salty in the oceans and watch the dolphins as the jump in the air. But as we see the issues with the forests, there are issues with our water. We see trash and other items floating in the water, or we see fungus growing on top of the water, or even see the sand eroded away, preventing you from getting to the oceans. We are also seeing the beautiful creatures of the sea, begin to disappear. Even though there are many people trying to protect, them, there are others, who take or kill them, for a profit. The whales, coral and other animals are examples of how people take or kill for a profit. Some coral reefs are prohibited to be dove next to because of the fear that something will be taken. The whales are killed for their fat and blubber.

Finally, always take the time to observe your surroundings, enjoying what nature has to offer. The beautiful colors in the spring and fall. In the spring, you have all the trees that are blooming, as well as all the flowers in bloom. In fall watch the leaves on the trees turn from bright green, to brilliant reds, oranges, browns and yellows. The thick woods, where you cannot see but a few feet from you. Watch the different animals as they scurry around, looking for a place to keep safe, or to find food. Appreciate each animal and their role in the environment. For examples, bats are great to have around because they eat mosquitoes. The Bald Eagle is a noble bird, but is an endangered species, because people wanted to kill them for unknown reasons. There are many animals that are in this same situation, and unless we preserve them, they may not be here when you arrive. The fires and pollution that wee see in the forests and oceans; we see it on the forests. We see smog, due to all the emissions from cars, which causes a decrease in how far we can see, even when the sun shining. Instead of taking a deep breath in and smelling al the flowers in bloom and the leaves after a rain, we smell the fast food garbage, rotten food and other items that do not decompose naturally. We continue to see houses/subdivisions being built in places, where there were small patches trees or fields and now have five or six houses in the same place, where a herd of deer may have been living.

So, you can see from letter, that this place where I live, is a beautiful place. But it is also a place where we are seeing people destroy. Most of the destruction can be prevented, by having people throw their garbage in receptacles, use less non-biodegradable items, such as plastic containers, disposable bags, and plastic plates. Making sure we recycle items, that are recyclable. I hope you will enjoy all the fun and not so fun things in the world around us. The smell of fresh cut grass, and the sneezing related to the yellow “snow-like” pollen that coats everything outside. You enjoy the warmth of the sun on your skin but remembering to wear sunscreen to protect your skin. That when you are older, you get to sit outside and watch the sunset and the lightening bugs begin to light up the sky, and hopefully do not get eaten by the mosquitoes. I hope I have taught your parents to cherish the world around me, and that they teach you as well. Because even if I may not see you grow up, I will know that we are able to have some of the same experiences. And finally take pictures, to have memories that you can share with your granddaughter someday.