Dear Earth,

If I had to choose a relationship status to correctly label my feelings towards you, I think I’d choose – ‘It’s complicated’.

It’s not because I don’t find you utterly beautiful; in fact, I probably don’t appreciate your beauty as much as I should do. I undoubtedly take you for granted and haven’t ever really taken the time to fully comprehend all of the incredible aspects of life you give to me and the rest of the world, every single day.

My knowledge of plant and animal species is admittedly, not the largest and I don’t always take the time to stop and smell the roses when I pass them by. I also don’t pick up litter to restore your beauty when necessary because I’m often thinking of myself, first.

It’s not because I don’t care about your future, either; I do. There’s more I could be doing and we both know that. I live with that guilt every day, brought upon by myself as well as the system I was born into, but I hope you understand that it’s because sometimes putting myself first is necessary, especially when I know your future could be a difficult and scary one to face. As much as I wish it didn’t, your future puts a heavy weight on my shoulders that I sometimes have to lighten.

I would say it’s not because you, yourself are scary and that all of the uncertainty being created is caused by mankind but I do have experience in your sheer force and strength. I’ve felt you move beneath my feet, seen you make my family cry in fear and heard your roar so loud it was almost deafening. I know what it means to see loss happen under your control and I know more loss is occurring every day just from how we treat you.

I understand that you can’t help it and it’s just the way you were created but I will never be able to forget the trauma that you caused me. I say you are beautiful but there are parts of you that I’m still working on rebuilding my connection to, like the mountains; they still look different to me.

Despite how much I love you – or try to love you – I know you need more than what I, and everybody else, is giving you and that you need it urgently. I hope that you can see the people who are fighting for you, whether it’s on the streets and bridges we’ve built or if it’s in the countries that are already suffering.

We are here and we are trying and those who aren’t listening will face the consequences along with us but without preparation. We have abused you – I have abused you – and your sheer force and strength will soon come out in other, undefeatable ways. I don’t know what that will look like and I don’t believe anyone does, no matter how many predictions have been made.

I separate the world that I am living in from the earth that I am living on and I would like to try and keep a promise to start doing less of that. The world could come to an end as we know it but you have your strength; you don’t need me or anybody else. You will live on without me, even if you are in pain.

So yes, our relationship is complicated. Even now, these words do not seem adequate enough to express my concern and confusion towards you.

You deserve so much more than one day of the world’s attention. If with it, it didn’t bring pain, I would want you to use your mighty roar more often, so that more people would sit down and listen to what you’re trying to tell us. I have the ability to listen and learn from you, over the animals and creatures who will have to let it wash over them with no warning. So, why Earth, are people not listening to you? I’m listening. I’m listening even when I don’t know what to say back.

Happy Your Day. I hope I get to celebrate many more with you.

Love from,
Tolly