Reaching Through the Generations

The image of children sitting by their grandparents and listening intently to stories of old seems like a sepia-toned memory reserved only for times of nostalgia. While technology has allowed us to be globally interconnected, sometimes it feels like keeping familial bonds have become even more challenging. Yet, it is undeniable that the experiences and life lessons of our elders are an invaluable resource.

Their views may reflect a world that is different from ours, but that certainly doesn’t equate to irrelevance. Instead, their memories and thoughts are important in creating the rich tapestry of values and knowledge that can help us become better versions of ourselves. And ultimately, isn’t that what we all strive to achieve?

David Suzuki never got a chance to ask his grandparents about how it was like for them to move to Canada and leave everything they know behind. With his grandparents long since passed, these are among many of his questions that will forever remain unanswered. This is one of the revelations he shares in his latest book, Letters to My Grandchildren.

Now 79 years old, perhaps more so than ever, David longs to ensure he passes on his knowledge, experiences and thoughts to the next generation–something that surely our own grandparents would like to impart.

Throughout his life, Canada’s Most Influential Person of 2015 has worn many hats. Among many things, he is a geneticist, a broadcaster, an author and an environmentalist. More importantly, he is a husband, a son, a father and, arguably his most favorite role, a grandfather.

Words like ‘tireless’ and ‘passionate’ are often used to describe David’s more than three decades of admirably relentless advocacy. Asked about what continues to drive him, he is famously quoted that his grandchildren are his fuel.“At the end of my life, I want simply to be able to look into the eyes of my grandchildren and tell them reassuringly that grandpa did everything he could. This motivation is enough,” he is quoted as saying during an interview for CSRwire’s Talkback Future Makers series.

David has collaborated in and authored more than 50 books, 19 of which are for children. And while he is most known for his environmentalism, in Letters to My Grandchildren, he writes about topics that just about any grandfather would love to share with his grandchildren. He talks about their family’s roots and how it was like to grow up as a second generation Japanese-Canadian. He also shares his thoughts on a variety of topics such as sports, feminism and even fashion. These intimate musings and anecdotes make the book arguably the most personal one he has ever written.

Whether your interests are of an ecological or sociological nature or if you simply cherish memories of listening to your elders sharing their stories from way back when, Letters to my Grandchildren will delight and inspire.

Scheduled to launch in May, the book sees David fully embrace his role as an elder. It is the encapsulation of his perspectives, packaged in intimate prose, lovingly written not just for his grandchildren, but for us and ours.