Letter to a Grandson - Declan Reuschel

Dear Grandson,

            It may seem strange to write a letter to someone I have not met, but it is very important to me. I do not want time to dull my memory of these days: these days which are a critical juncture for this world. Never before have we as humans had so much potential; we find ourselves for the first time possessing the power to literally make or break our future. Why am I writing? While there will doubtless be innumerable accounts of scientists, leaders, politicians, researchers, news writers, and journalists, I wish to give you a firsthand account of a layman. I want you to hear of more than the studies done and the works undertaken by our race; I want you to understand why these times are so important. But now, what shall I write? Since I am writing a letter to the future, there are many things of which I could speak. I could tell you of the advancements in technology which brought us here, of the new inventions which will bring us forward. I could tell you of the government of the world’s nations, of who brought us here and who will bring us forward. But I am writing of something more necessary than the one and more permanent than the other. I am writing about Nature.

            Nature is more than numbers, regions, migration patterns, and geological strata. Nature is what we have been given to use for ourselves, manage for others, and protect from all. Many may remember these duties, but few work to accomplish them. In these troubled years, our race has seen the rise of innumerable problems, and many have forgotten the quiet crises of nature. They fight against homelessness among people while tearing down the homes of countless animals. They devote their time and finances to support various causes, all of which may be noble and true, but few of which address the issues nature must face. How many will work hard for a campaign with already great support, while not lifting a finger for a problem in nature, which may have no support at all? It is a wonderful thing to help where one can, but it is negligence to ignore the causes such as nature, where help may be most needed.

            However, where apathy poses a danger through the reckless endangerment of nature, extreme naturalism presents a danger of a different kind. For among those who are not careless with nature and do care about its fate, there are some who take their views to a level which threatens not only people, but even their own crusades. These are the ones who will put the preservation of nature above all else, including the life and health of those around them. What is a new home, or farm, or hospital, they may say, compared to the destruction of nature? For them it is the clearing of forests and grasslands, the pollution of air and ocean, which are the real evils. Why should money be spent on people over nature, when the latter is clearly in more danger? But these arguments are not flawless. The crisis nature is in is real and frightening, but this is not the way to resolve it. One cannot rally the support of people when your campaign may cause them more harm than good. Most will not be so eager to give money for the preservation of habitats, when it is their friend in a hospital, caught with a disease which needs financing to find a cure. Many will not be so ready to fight against new homes being built, when they themselves are homeless.

            So comes the divide, between those who will not act and those who act too rashly: the apathetic and the extreme. If this is no longer an issue in your time, be glad! But I fear this will not occur. In these days, there are few solutions found to many problems. As of now, those who care too little are in the majority. Most are not aware of the pressing danger we have brought to nature, and most would not believe it if told. Some extreme naturalists are aware, but they are not listened to. Radical change is rarely popular with those who don’t see why it is needed. Some naturalists are less extreme and suggest less changes, but as the majority becomes more and more defensive, even these people are often labeled extremists and ignored.

            Now you may see why I write this letter. Though I have not great experience nor influence, I am one of the few who are not extreme nor apathetic. In the records which are kept and the news stories which are spread, only the loudest are heard, and they are seldom unbiased. The constant struggle continues: the majority who endanger nature are utterly closed off to extreme changes to their lifestyle, and the small group of radical naturalists refuse to support anything else. Those who try to mediate between them are drowned out, and any possible solution is dismissed as being too little or too much, either unhelpful or unnecessary.

            I have done my best to present an unbiased point of view, but I urge you, my grandson, to find your own answers. Go into the world and do research! Read studies, watch the news, listen to both those who are extreme and those who are not. Do not let your action be stifled by ease and comfort and do not join the majority without thinking, but also do not let your fervor place you among the radicals, for then you shall not be listened to by anyone. Above all, do not merely sit in your rooms and contemplate nature; go outside and smell the grass and the trees. Do not look at the stars from a window as tiny pinpricks shimmering in space, but go to a hilltop and watch the night sky transform into a panorama of beauty and light. In the battles of regions, habitats, materials, and environments, many forget what nature really is: a gift, entrusted to us for protection and management. We should not disregard this responsibility, but we must not disregard each other in its place.