Hello friend,
It has been my intention for many months to write to you but I have struggled to put pen to paper—or fingers to keyboard. Personal, family, and global turmoil have left me feeling uninspired, uninspiring, and cynical, and I’m afraid this letter will not be upbeat. I have long been debating whether to write it at all.
Are you sad? Depressed? Then you are not alone. I have never wanted to add to all the negative news out there, but find it exceedingly difficult to pretend that everything is ok, or will be. Wherever I look and listen, the world as we have known is barely recognizable.
I have stopped counting the number of times when I think that the species that named itself sapiens is anything but, and have little doubt that the current chapter of human history will eventually be regarded as one of our most degraded and shameful and short-sighted, provided someone will be around to write it.
As a student of history, I have always assumed, or at least hoped, that we could learn from past mistakes and prevent them from happening again, but I don’t think we have.
As someone who grew up in Germany, I have always known that the likes of Hitler exploit the liberal laws of their country in order to get rid of those very laws, with the goal to serve their own nefarious purposes. That they are willing to sacrifice the lives of their fellow humans to advance their selfish agendas. That they surround themselves with minions who praise their megalomaniac minds and flatter their hyperinflated egos. That they ask for sacrifices from us commoners while they rule from golden towers. That they promise peace and prosperity while delivering only aggression, war, and hardship. That they threaten countless persons by vilifying their physical appearance, their genetic background, or their sexual, political, or religious leanings.
Even the Gilded Age robber barons felt compelled to placate their bad conscience by passing on a few of their millions to the lowly masses, or by constructing buildings to benefit the public. Today’s gilded figures suffer no such scruples—they openly and blatantly enrich their own coffers, and those of their families and friends. Where is accountability for those who ridicule affordability?
Where are the leaders who address our world’s most pressing problem: climate change?
How many more degrees does the thermometer have to climb, how many more glaciers have to melt? How many more tornadoes, hurricanes, typhoons, and floods does it take? How much longer do mega-droughts have to last? How many more trees have to burn, releasing more CO2 into the atmosphere, exacerbating the vicious climate cycle? How many more species have to breathe their last under our watch?
I bemoan the ill effects of the Anthropocene. The unnaturalness of declaring corporations persons, and of denying personhood to our fellow living, breathing, and feeling creatures. We ignore our interconnectedness and interdependence at everybody’s peril, ours included. Where is the wisdom in that?
As I’m typing these lines, the American West is burning and Colorado’s columbine-colored skies are obscured by wildfire smoke that makes it hard to breathe, brings tears to our eyes, and turns the sun an apocalyptic red. Human and more-than-human beings have lost their homes or even their lives. I mourn for and with them.
Yes, I’m sad and depressed.
But I’m also disappointed, even angry.
Because many of these human-caused calamities could have been avoided, or their devastating effects diminished, had we heeded the warnings of those individuals who have long cautioned us about an impending ecological crisis: Henry David Thoreau. Even then! Aldo Leopold. Rachel Carson. Robin Wall Kimmerer. Terry Tempest Williams. And many more.
Because our elected officials, instead of trying to mitigate the ill effects of a warming planet, wantonly adhere to their “drill, baby drill ideology,” in order to further enrich the fossil fuel industry—and themselves. Not only do they deny the proven benefits of alternative energies, they disincentivize their development and even attempt to penalize those who promote them.
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As members of a “developed” society, each of us has contributed to today’s climate emergency. Walking a different path will take sacrifices from all of us, and caring people all around the globe are trying to make amends. Despite doubts and pessimism, I want to continue to be part of that movement in the hope that Earth will remain a livable home for all its denizens.
Let’s reduce, reuse, recycle—do whatever we can think of that makes a difference. Humans have proven extremely resourceful. We have landed on the moon and marveled at its far side. We can tackle the problems we are facing here on Earth, but only if we do it together.
We need to vote for the far-sighted leaders our times need. And we need to fight for the continued right to vote, which is also under threat.
I dream of a future or, better yet, a present, in which we finally live up to the name we have chosen for ourselves.
Thank you for lending me your ear. I have missed being in touch. I hope you are as well as can be expected.
With heartfelt greetings,
Tanja
tanja britton 
One really does wonder where this will lead us, the fleas on the dog’s back.
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Hallo Tanja.
Inzwischen bin ich 80 Jahre alt geworden.
Habe meinen Ehemann und dann auch meinen kleinen Buddy verloren.
Ich bin nicht depressiv geworden, aber ich habe den Glauben an ein Umschwenken verloren.
Es ist jetzt 10 nach Zwölf, nicht mehr 10 vor Zwölf.
Die Erde wird kurzen Prozess machen und sich ihrer Quälgeister entledigen.
Danach wird sie aufatmen und sich regenerieren.
Hoffentlich ohne den Fehler Homo sapiens zu wiederholen.
Solange ich kann erfreue ich mich an den kleinen Wundern der Natur.
Gerade eben schickte mir eine liebe Freundin ein Foto mit kleinen Grauschnäppern im Nest. 😍
Das ist es, was mir hilft seelisch gesund zu überleben.
Alles Liebe und Gute für dich. Ich habe dich vermisst.
Liebe Grüße Brigitte
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Well, I can’t disagree with anything you’ve written. All I can offer is that I’m also deeply sad and angry that we’ve continued down a path of destruction and that our leaders haven’t owned their responsibilities. That being said, I’m glad you’re writing, at least for this day.
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I have been thinking about you and wondering how you were doing. Like Tina, I can’t disagree with anything you wrote. If you would like to see where much of the blame lies, watch the documentary The Merchants of Doubt, which charts how the oil companies have employed the same tactics used by cigarette companies to muddy the waters about the harm they are causing. Illuminating and infuriating. While there is a limit to what individuals can do—we really do need system changes—we have made changes in our own family to try live more lightly. From cars to heating to cooling, We are now an electric family. We don’t eat any kind of meat. Many of our vegetables come from a local farm that in turn uses electric vehicles to deliver farm shares. No doubt we could do more, but we have made a start.
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Tanja, everything you say is true. The world is in a horrible state. To a significant extent, people just don’t get along. That’s always been the case. It’s built into human DNA.
Climate change probably isn’t reversible at this point. Maybe it can be slowed. But that will take resolve and ingenuity to a degree that most societies probably aren’t capable of.
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I second you, Tanja. You have articulated what I could not.
If only, if only, if only……to say this is merely a drop in the ocean of calamity mankind is now facing. Every living creature on the planet is being affected by climate change. Yes, I feel sad and depressed about the suffering and loss too.
Is it too late?
Probably.
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Hi, Mrs. Tanja-
First of all, it is so good to hear from you! My family and I talk about you and Mr. Mike often, and hope you both are doing well. I have thoroughly missed your blog!
Secondly, my heart as well goes out to all of those who have been impacted by the fires recently. We recently went through the very bottom of Colorado on our summer road trip, and we could smell the fires one day, since they were so close. I definitely feel so bad for those who have lost everything due to these fires. I pray you and the beautiful Colorado Springs area are protected during this time!
I understand your sadness during this time. I agree that at some points, it seems as if all things are crumbling downhill. I pray each day for God’s will to take place, and I cannot wait to see how He will work all things out!
Once again, it is so nice to hear from you, and I express my deepest condolences to you during this extremely hard time!
Take care during this time!
Blessings to you,
Gavin Broom
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Thanks, Tanja,
yes, you are right talking about present days` mess. – And thanks for re-appearing!
However, aside of all our dark thoughts, the Earth is continuing (with or without mankind – misnamed as homo sapiens) to turn round.
There is some kind of hope left, e.g. accompanying young ones, teaching them in hands-on-activities – presenting positive results.
https://osmerus.blog/2026/07/03/naturpark-aukrug-toensbek-kieseinbringen-mit-schulklasse/
All of that because of the millions of years of “learning nature” – most of importance now: cooling the landscape. – Or, as an advertisement for “justdiggit” says: “If were are able to overheat the earth, we – as well – are able to cool it down.”
I`ll stay with the summercool rivers, trying to help them out of manmade problems – starting with “the tree”, in mind “trees, tree lined roads and rivers, wetland forests …”
Continuing, as someone who wanted to offend me said “Keep on dreaming your dream”. – Yes, I do.
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Tanja, I have thought about you so much over the last year, wondering how you were doing and worrying that you may not be doing well. I can see from what you have written here that you have been struggling with the state – and the fate – of our planet. I share your pain, I really do.
What you have written is powerful and incisive, and I cannot disagree with a single word of it. There is so much that needs to change. That change needs to be personal, local, national, international and global. It is a daunting prospect, but it’s important to remember that you – and we – are not alone. There are countless good people around us, all anxious to do their bit to make the world a better place. We need to stick together, work as one and chip away at the monolith of misery that looms above us all. Above all we must keep the faith, and believe that progress is possible, however hard the struggle me be.
You are amongst friends here, Tanja, and I hope you will feel able to remain an active part of our community. We’ve missed you! Take care, stay safe and stay strong. my friend.
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You have written what we all think. You are right when you say that this time will be recalled as one of the most degraded in history. Colorado is burning, as well as France and Greece but the big boys just deny the climate change…
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