Encounters Out There

Dearest Younglings,

As your Majestic One, I praise all of you for making this world a paradise. To commence our celebration, I'll remind you of my story, our legacy, and your heritage.

As you know, I haven't always been what I am now, and neither has our world.

One thousand years ago, alien ambassadors from another solar system came to our planet and issued an ecological warning. To join the local neighborhood of living star systems for commerce, technological advancements, and to receive protection against a warlike species that we were bound to encounter if we left our solar system—we had to meet their stringent environmental requirements.

They issued us stark warnings about carbon emissions, waste pollution, overpopulation, and every environmental crisis we had. We had to show that we could care for our own planet before proving we could cooperate with others.

Yet, as time passed, we failed. Along with many conflicts, selfishness, and mass consumption, we weren't able to achieve our depopulation goal without violating our most sacred beliefs.

Therefore, the alien ambassadors, in their profound and timeless wisdom, advised us to implement a voluntary system:

As a cure-all for our problems, they shared with us a formula for transmutation for some of us to become the restorers of our world. And so I was one among billions who had volunteered for this most extraordinary duty.

All together, let us chant our sacred oath and mission …

I stand beside you, for we nourish the land.

I shall replenish the air, and nurture so many, as our kind has done for generations.

I shall last for millennia to protect all those who come and go.

I shall bring natural beauty to our homeworld.

I stand for all of thee, for I am tree.