For Youth

Friday, 13 May 2011 02:36

"What can we do?"

Sometimes, young people ask me this as they grapple with the global challenges.

I have no answers, only thoughts:

It starts small, it seems to me; simply do your best. Try to activate hearts, one heart at a time, along your path.  Keep your hearts open, stones and guns away, minds clear, and voices strong.

But the future belongs to the young and while  I am in awe of both their challenges, I'm equally awed by their capacity to meet those challenges.

To the future's inheritors, I pledge to help and support you in all of your endeavours and goals, because:

I want your voices to be heard

I want you to be empowered to make a difference, then make that difference

I want teachers who don't squash individuality and creativity

I want you to keep forging a responsive, transparent media

I want you to consider government service and rebuild it with integrity and openness

I want you remembering to become the shining children of God that you already are

I want through art/music/film - or whatever work each of you do - to end social/race/class/school clique divisions

I want a livable planet

I want peace

I want you to relax and enjoy this time of your lives, develop yourselves and each other (if that happens everything else follows)

I want your hearts to be energized so that you can transform with grace and optimism the jaded public legacy you will inherit

I want your kindness to be cultivated and extended to your peers, to your family

I want your anger, isolation, and hatred to be revealed, exorcised and cured

I want my bones to rest in a happier grave tomorrow than they would today

I want to die blinded by the brilliance of your collective love, polished in billions of young strong large hearts

I want you to offer each other your own heart, share and build hope to critical mass, so that hope is created in itself of itself

I want to die softly crushed by the weight of your conviction in that hope