Grandfatherland

"You forgot to mention me yesterday," says Virginia.

"Yes, but I didn't forget you," I say, "when I wrote of ancient history, of continual fighting, I thought of grandfatherland.

When I think of grandfatherland I think of what some folks call solidarity, the concept that we, our ancestors and future generations are bound together in this time and place.  Our actions, like those of our ancestors, affect today and tomorrow. 

I like the phrase "memory of future times," which places the future in the present, something I think we must do, we have an obligation and responsibility to do.  We are stewards of the Earth, temporary managers for future generations.  As we make decisions, we must remember the future.

"We aren't very good at this," says Virginia.

No, too many of us have optimistic delusions that when the going gets really tough we or our descendants will save the Earth with answers pulled out of thin air.