Dear Sam,
How I envy you, just as I imagine my parents envied me at the same age.
Yours will be a world of such utter connectedness and innovation that, despite my attempts, I cannot imagine what it will be like. Whereas the Internet has changed my life, you will never know what it's like to be without it.
You will have the ability to know more than any generation before you; that creates an awesome potential, but it will also be a burden. I hope you figure out how to know what to know; that has been a constant challenge for me.
For my parents, the shift was television; they knew a time without it and lived the rest of their lives amazed by it.
For me, the Internet will always be a source of change. I remember what it was like before the web, before Google, before the time when a stand-alone, unconnected computer was utterly useless. Compared to the interactive cacophony of humanity that is the Internet, television seems, well, quaint.
For you, I wonder; what will man's next great invention be that shall so shape your life? Will it be space travel for the masses? Or will it be something more terrestrial and personal, such as greatly extended longevity due to gene therapy or some other medical miracle? Realize that the newness of every day, the novelty of every unique experience, and the opportunity for learning and wondering they offer are gifts without equal.
But, I also worry for you. I have enjoyed so far a life filled with the great outdoors, a.k.a Nature. She has been a companion and mentor, teaching me that life is both precious and cheap, to be savored and respected while understanding that it is neither guaranteed nor fair.
Yet it is quite possible that in your lifetime, Nature may become Man's most feared adversary. Decisions made before me and during my life will affect you and yours in subtle and potentially terrible ways. We do not know...at least not for sure. So, we choose not to prepare ourselves nor do we make any concerted attempt at change. For that reason, my generation, and that of my parents, may be branded the most foolish of all by the textbooks your contemporaries write. Try to be understanding of our ignorance and reticence to give up a most luxurious lifestyle in the face of uncertain consequences. At least that's the lie we tell ourselves whenever new evidence suggests we ought to do things differently (IOW, sacrifice).
Regardless of what happens, please do not hate Nature. Nature does not hold a grudge and there is no grand plan to do you ill. No woman, or man, is more than a mote in the maelstrom of the world; how could Nature's vastness concentrate to any degree on one individual? Accept Nature for what it is; embrace its richness, revel in its wonder, and respect its randomness and power.
Finally, I hope you will understand that I cannot possibly be as aware of your world as you will be. My world, that which is familiar to me now, will most likely overwhelm my ability to accept all the newness in the years to come. I hope it won't, though. Every day I try to learn about and understand something new that's happening. Sometimes, however, I can't integrate it into my brain (e.g., tongue-piercing...why???).
So, forgive me when you are older. I will try to keep up, but you will invariably leave me behind. That will make me sad, but I probably won't let you know. After all, I will still have some dignity and pride. I just hope those follies don't replace entirely the inquistiveness and sense of wonder I have so enjoyed this far.
My dear daughter, you are so very young, but your life will be amazing. Live it with the realization that each day only comes once, each hour is 1/24th of that day, and each minute is an opportunity. And remember: every one of those minutes, I will love you.
