I am often faced with the question: why do I care so much about this pale blue dot that we inhabit?

29 years later, I wish I still can ride bike and go some lovely places in nature. Sky is blue and air is fresh, I will be shining under the sun.

There is a promise in the Bible: ‘I shall restore the years that the locusts have eaten’ and that points to a promise of complete healing and restoration. But until that comes I intend to do my best to ‘save the planet’ in whatever way I can, and I encourage you to do the same.

I’m not allowed to talk about climate change around family; as my mom warned me, “climate change is not something that people think about in Mississippi.” But I’m worried for my family’s future.

Here in California we’re starting to recognize our climate changing the natural world around us.

Maya, my love, I promise to be courageous. I promise that when I face a decision, I will think of how it will impact you and your future. I promise that I’ll also step outside my individual decisions and add my weight to the forces that shift culture and systems.

I promise to do my part. I promise to be the change I want to see in the world, and I hope that you, reader, will do the same.

I will fight for this cause and I will never ever give up because we, the youngsters, are the hope.

I don’t wish to go backwards, but I do wish we would slow down and design our brave new world with more care.