Tomorrow's Child

We just watched Ray Anderson's 2009 TED talk about his mission for his company, Interface Carpets, to climb Mt Sustainability towards mission zero - zero environmental impact by 2020. Ray sadly died just recently, but he shared in his quietly inspiring talk a poem by Interface employee Glenn Thomas about the person who will suffer unless we are responsible with our actions today.

Tomorrow's Child

Without a name, an unseen face,

and knowing not your time or place,
Tomorrow's child, though yet unborn,

I met you first last Tuesday morn.

A wise friend introduced us two.

And through his sobering point of view
I saw a day that you would see,

a day for you but not for me.

Knowing you has changed my thinking.

For I never had an inkling
that perhaps the things I do

might someday, somehow threaten you.

Tomorrow's child, my daughter, son,
I'm afraid I've just begun

to think of you and of your good,
though always having known I should.

Begin, I will, to weigh the cost

of what I squander, what is lost,
if ever I forget that you

will someday come and live here too.

- Glenn Thomas

I also stumbled upon a recent tribute to Ray Anderson, also by Glenn Thomas, as a view back from the future from Tomorrow's Child.

When Love and Common Sense Combined
A Poem From Tomorrow’s Child

Because you cared so long ago
although you know you’d never know
If anything you’d do or say
would make a difference here today.

Though you saw you’d never see,
yet you cared so much for me;
An unknown name, a hidden face,
a future time and secret place.

And when you threw away your fear
like a tired souvenir,
And learned that being strong
meant admitting you were wrong

I marked that day with humankind
when love and common sense combined,
And to my benefit unfurled
a rich endowment for the world.

- Glenn Thomas

Thanks to Glenn Thomas for sharing the beautiful poems.