I know a lot of you are concerned about my health. And, yes, I know I'm not as young and prim as I once was. I suppose you could say I'm getting up there in years. I've already seen a lot of you, my children, come and go and yes, I do show some signs of wear and tear. Be that as it may, I'm still your mother and I want all of you to pay attention to what I'm telling you now.
It's not been an easy time for any of us. Ever since I started having children, there's been hard times and trouble, more than enough to go around. But I want to make one thing perfectly clear. Everything I've done, I've done for you and if I had the chance, I'd do it all over again. Now I appreciate some of you being concerned about me and wanting to do what you can to help me in my old age. But, that's just the point I want to speak to here, so you little ones listen good.
The best way you can help take care of me is to take better care of yourselves! That's right. You keep going the way you're going and doing the things you're doing and it's not me who's really going to pay the dearest price. It's you! Whatever happens, I'm going to be all right. I've seen lots worse times than these and I'll probably see more, too. But you little ones; you're very fragile. If you don't take better care of yourselves I will lose you forever, and I don't want that to happen.
Now, you're all old enough to know what I mean when I say take better care of yourselves. It means don't poison the water you need to drink, don't pollute the air you need to breathe, don't degrade the land and ocean that gives you food. And don't let your brothers and sisters do so either.
I know that some of your brothers and sisters understand what I'm saying and I know they tell you, all the time, the same thing I'm telling you now. But a lot of you aren't listening! You're too busy trying to make money; trying to make everything real nice for yourselves. But you're not paying attention to how you're making things for your other brothers and sisters. So here's what I want you to do.
There's a place called the Mendocino Environmental Center. All my children there spend their time trying to get you to take better care of yourselves. I want you to help that place. I want you to give it some of your money. I want you to give it some of your time. It's your place, you know. You're responsible for what that place does, and how effectively it does it. So get busy! If you're worried about me, then go help that place! That's one of the best things you can do to help me - and yourselves.
Besides, now is an especially good time to give some money to the MEC. For a limited time, anybody who gives $50 or more will receive the beautiful video titled Headwaters Forest, by Green TV Productions, absolutely free! The Headwaters Forest is one of my most precious jewels. Most of you have never been there and most of you never will be, but with this video you can at least get a glimpse of what it looks like.
Another way you can help the MEC is to switch your long distance telephone service to Working Assets Long Distance and tell them the MEC referred you. This will give you long distance telephone service from the only socially responsible telephone company in the world and it will give the MEC $10 off its telephone bill. Call 1-800-789-9253 to sign up.
As always, whatever you give will make you a member of the MEC. That will enable you to receive the quarterly newsletter and to participate in the democratically run organization by voting and/or running in MEC elections. MEC membership also authorizes you to have a bank account at the Mendo-Lake Credit Union.
Most importantly, though, you should be a MEC member because it's the right thing to do. It's a great way to help you take care of yourselves. And it's a splendid way to help take care of me, your loving mother.
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 1995