by Chris Hill

We tend to respect things that have endured for a long time.

We respect our professors

Because we know that years of hard study have given them knowledge.

That time has taught them more than books could.

We respect antiques

As relics of an era before our own.

As the enduring artefact of the mind of some long dead creative soul

We respect ancient buildings

Whose strong foundations have seen monuments last for generations

Mighty, towering testaments to mankind’s resourcefulness and skill

And then there is the Earth

Our lonely spinning piece of rock adrift in space

Who was here long before we were

Remaining tragically ignored.

The sun will rise again tomorrow

And this planet will watch another dawn

What we need to decide is how many more we wish to watch with it.