We often speak of the future in our values, texts, and vision statement. But what do we really mean?

The future we are invoking is firmly rooted in the present. It is the awareness not only of what we are doing — or failing to do — but also of how we are being moved by our actions. It is about attuning our contributions to both the immediacy of the moment and an understanding of where these actions originate. The future is not only about sowing seeds in the hope of a later harvest. It is also about recognizing the kind of seeds we plant, the quality of the soil we tend, and the truth that diversity is what ultimately sustains resilience.

The future we wish to seed in the present is regenerative. It honors life-affirming values and principles, and acts in service of life rather than against it. It embraces the wounds and challenges we face today while nurturing the resources that support abundance, participating in systems that are self-sustaining and thriving.

We do not need to invent something entirely new — life itself has offered regenerative systems since the dawn of time. What is needed is to listen, to observe, and to let ourselves be guided by life, in service of life. The shift may seem daunting in the face of today’s challenges. Yet often, the most difficult step is becoming aware of the unconscious narratives we carry that perpetuate destructive dominance over living systems. The invitation is to consciously adopt new narratives that honor life. For the stories we hold, shape the world within us — and our actions naturally follow the stories we live by.