Vision of the Future
I was asked: What is your vision for the future?
My vision of the future is quite clear. This vision is set in the future, where non-renewable fuels, especially the fossil fuels, are no longer used; and imports and exports are of very minor consequence; and where the people are happy; and where nature is abundant.
What would it be like walking around in the future?
Vision of a Morning
I wake up and look out the window. It is bright outside. It is slightly windy, just enough to move the leaves and the grasses. I hear the crickets and occasionally a bird. My son is still sleeping. I will not wake him; he is tired.
I walk outside and look around. One person walks toward downtown. We exchange smiles and waves. We will see each other later in the day.
I look at the plants growing. Some more tomatoes are ready, a zucchini, a few peppers, and some corn. The berries are coming along nicely, but not yet ready to pick. I remove a few unwelcome plants and animals. I nibble on a few green beans as I sit down on the swing and take in the morning.
My family wakes. We eat breakfast together while we discuss the day ahead.
I go downtown to fetch some medicine. The village pharmacist is a friend, and extremely clever. He mixes most of the medicines himself and grows a great number of the ingredients. Those few ingredients that are imported are traded for exported food, energy, or entertainment; things that our community generates in abundance. Even without those ingredients, things would be fine. While medicines are very helpful, they are not essential; we all know how to live with or without them, as did our ancestors, whose unbroken series of success in life, led to us being here today.
I walk over to the store, bringing some of the herbs that grow well near our home. I leave with some fruit, some salt, and a small bowl to replace one that had split the day before.
I hear a woman's voice from down at the lake. She watches the children in the water as they play. Her garden does not grow well despite her best efforts, so she provides something that she is good at and that she enjoys: caring for the children.
There are enough of us with abundant gardens to ensure that everyone has plenty to eat. There are also a number of us that are quite effective at storing food, and we all work together to ensure that the stores are full. We are ever aware of the threat of disease, blight, and drought. Long ago, we designed our local food system to be resilient to such threats.
The biggest threat to our community is fire. We regularly practice our emergency plans to ensure that we would maximize our likelihood of preventing any fire from destroying our community. We are intentionally mindful in our relationships with neighboring communities; we know that our security depends on their security.
I hear music starting up in the distance. Tonight there is a celebration for the one-year anniversary of the birth of a new member of the community. Numerous creative collaborations take place beyond the one I can hear, and which we will all experience this evening. Community celebrations are looked forward to by practically everyone, and practically everyone contributes in one way or another.
Laughter punctuates the air. I see a group of children with one of the community's adults. They appear to be doing some sort of wildlife study. Nature is everywhere in our community. This appears to be a major contributor to the community's success. One has only to step outside to find a beautiful spot: in the shade of the trees is a favorite.
I chop wood and neatly stack it. We don't use much, but on cold days in winter, it is nice to keep the insides warm. I devote some time each day to this project. We have enough wood chopped for us for the winter; so it is for my community that I now prepare the wood.
My vision of the future is quite clear. This vision is set in the future, where non-renewable fuels, especially the fossil fuels, are no longer used; and imports and exports are of very minor consequence; and where the people are happy; and where nature is abundant.
What would it be like walking around in the future?
Vision of a Morning
I wake up and look out the window. It is bright outside. It is slightly windy, just enough to move the leaves and the grasses. I hear the crickets and occasionally a bird. My son is still sleeping. I will not wake him; he is tired.
I walk outside and look around. One person walks toward downtown. We exchange smiles and waves. We will see each other later in the day.
I look at the plants growing. Some more tomatoes are ready, a zucchini, a few peppers, and some corn. The berries are coming along nicely, but not yet ready to pick. I remove a few unwelcome plants and animals. I nibble on a few green beans as I sit down on the swing and take in the morning.
My family wakes. We eat breakfast together while we discuss the day ahead.
I go downtown to fetch some medicine. The village pharmacist is a friend, and extremely clever. He mixes most of the medicines himself and grows a great number of the ingredients. Those few ingredients that are imported are traded for exported food, energy, or entertainment; things that our community generates in abundance. Even without those ingredients, things would be fine. While medicines are very helpful, they are not essential; we all know how to live with or without them, as did our ancestors, whose unbroken series of success in life, led to us being here today.
I walk over to the store, bringing some of the herbs that grow well near our home. I leave with some fruit, some salt, and a small bowl to replace one that had split the day before.
I hear a woman's voice from down at the lake. She watches the children in the water as they play. Her garden does not grow well despite her best efforts, so she provides something that she is good at and that she enjoys: caring for the children.
There are enough of us with abundant gardens to ensure that everyone has plenty to eat. There are also a number of us that are quite effective at storing food, and we all work together to ensure that the stores are full. We are ever aware of the threat of disease, blight, and drought. Long ago, we designed our local food system to be resilient to such threats.
The biggest threat to our community is fire. We regularly practice our emergency plans to ensure that we would maximize our likelihood of preventing any fire from destroying our community. We are intentionally mindful in our relationships with neighboring communities; we know that our security depends on their security.
I hear music starting up in the distance. Tonight there is a celebration for the one-year anniversary of the birth of a new member of the community. Numerous creative collaborations take place beyond the one I can hear, and which we will all experience this evening. Community celebrations are looked forward to by practically everyone, and practically everyone contributes in one way or another.
Laughter punctuates the air. I see a group of children with one of the community's adults. They appear to be doing some sort of wildlife study. Nature is everywhere in our community. This appears to be a major contributor to the community's success. One has only to step outside to find a beautiful spot: in the shade of the trees is a favorite.
I chop wood and neatly stack it. We don't use much, but on cold days in winter, it is nice to keep the insides warm. I devote some time each day to this project. We have enough wood chopped for us for the winter; so it is for my community that I now prepare the wood.