How will we live tomorrow?
“We got engaged last year. We even set a date, September 12, though we haven’t done anything else to plan it.”
“Char’s been engaged three times.”
“Yes, but each time something wasn’t right. Within a month, I knew this was the man I wanted to marry. He rubs my arthritic hip.”
“And she rubs my arthritic hands.”
Charlene Toncrey and David Klippell, Middle-aged lovers, Naperville, IL
How will we live tomorrow?
“The McDonald’s Corporation has a very clear vision of the future. I will paraphrase what Ray Kroc articulated in Grinding it Out. ‘Whatever the future holds, McDonald’s will be involved, and we will be doing it best. McDonald’s will evolve and change as we need, and always involve the community.”
Nicole Brennan, McDonald’s Corporation, Oak Brook, IL
How will we live tomorrow?
“In the memories of those who love us.”
Shane Dunlop, IT Consultant and Brew master, Oak Creek, WI
How will we live tomorrow?
“I have always had the ability to live today. I like the Sanskrit saying, ‘Yesterday is a dream, tomorrow but a vision. But today well-lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well, therefore, to this day.’ I can make plans but I can’t determine the outcome. I can say the Cubs will win the World Series, but I can’t know the outcome. I know that if I keep doing what I’m doing I’ll have the life I have now. I learned that through AA.”
Frank Bolin, thirty years sober, Chicago, IL
How will we live tomorrow?
“We should all be doing good work.”
Bonnie Brennan, retired nurse and hiking/cycling great grandmother-to-be, Chicago, IL
How will we live tomorrow?
“In anticipation of what will come next. I’m out of here in June or July. I have tried to embrace city life; I’ve taken public transit for the first time. I long for my own little house and sandbox for my grandchildren.”
Janet Eblovi, retired special education teacher, Chicago, IL
Janet moved to Chicago from Boulder, CO to be near her son, a medical resident, and his young family. “People say, what am I going to do, follow them around? The answer is yes. I have only one son, he has only one son.”
How will we live tomorrow?
“Tomorrow never comes, so I shall try to live today as I tried to live
yesterday. That entails attending to my spirit, mind and body, caring for my
family, helping other creatures in need, near and far, being a good example
of forgiveness to others, helping others learn and laugh, all with the goal
of having many, many know me as a kind-hearted man when I am gone.”
David Leef, cyclist, Madison, WI
How will we live tomorrow?
“I live everyday as a new beginning.”
Debbie, CNA who picked me up when my bike broke, Jefferson, WI
How will we live tomorrow?
“Trust in God.”
Art Paul Schlosher, Street Musician, Madison WI
How will we live tomorrow?
“I could retire now but I don’t know what I’d do. I don’t have any hobbies.”
Alan Stuckey, Third generation Owner of Stuckey’s Market, Wauteka, WI
Alan’s children have other careers. When Alan retires the only grocery in Wauteka, population 700, will clos for good. There’s a Wal-Mart 15 miles away in either direction.
How will we live tomorrow?
“If you write non-fiction you can’t write about the President or Congress.”
Frank, proprietor of The Frontier Motel, Marquette, IA
Frank’s motel was full on a Saturday night. He called around to find me a place in the next town.
How will we live tomorrow?
“All faiths are legitimate. Look at our tradition: there was nothing and then there was everything. It’s not rational. It’s faith. There are prophets alive today, and visionaries alive today.”
Frank Bolin, retired cook, Chicago, IL
How will we live tomorrow?
“My hope is that tomorrow will be a better time and space that we will have the tools to make our world better and use them… that we will have an ethnically integrated society so that differences will be blurred and racism will cease to exist. My hope is that there will not be any extremes. We will no longer have extreme religions, extreme wealth, extreme use of natural resources, extreme political figures, etc. Instead we will try to live as a world community and be better about sharing and understanding. I don’t see perfection, but my hope and it is only a hope that we will learn to live with each other with harmony.”
Barbara Elfman, yoga practitioner, Cambridge, MA
How will we live tomorrow?
“We should be living like it’s our last day, every day.”
Patrick, waiter at a toda madre Glen Ellyn, IL
How will we live tomorrow?
“That’s a really hard question. It stirs a lot. Sustainability. Responsibility. I’m beginning to work with junior high school kids, and I ask myself, ‘What kind of world are we creating for them?’ Hopeful. I want the world to be hopeful. We must speak the truth.
“I think about this question when I think about having children. Will tomorrow be better? My goal is to have a Bed & Breakfast and teach sustainability on a cranberry farm. Why a cranberry farm? I don’t know. My dream has always been a cranberry farm.”
Karyn Klippell, Young Life Youth Leader, Naperville, IL
How will we live tomorrow?
“Tomorrow I am going to tweak somebody’s nose.”
David Klippell, Class Cut-up University High School Class of ’73, Naperville, IL
How will we live tomorrow?
“I will have to accomplish something. I have to accomplish something every day or I don’t feel good.”
Larry LaPadue, Miller Beach Arts District Gary, IN
How will we live tomorrow?
“I want to go to Jerusalem and walk in the steps of Jesus.”
Mike, serious drinker at 18th Street Brewery, Gary, IN
How will we live tomorrow?
“Positively!”
Charlene Toncrey, Geriatric nurse, Naperville, IL
How will we live tomorrow?
“Happy and healthy for everyone.”
David Klippell, Construction superintendent, Naperville, IL
How will we live tomorrow?
“Every day is a little different but kinda the same. Tomorrow we’ll do different stuff.”
Leif Tenbrink, second grade student, Jackson, MI
How will we live tomorrow?
“Much like today.”
Scott Tenbrink, University of Michigan, Jackson, MI
“I’ve thought about your question ever since you contacted us; I knew you were gong to ask. Now I realize that my answer is almost the same as my son’s.”
How will we live tomorrow?
“When my kids are grown I will live in reserve. Revert back to freedom, life with your friends and partying hard.”
Jeff, Automotive engineer and father of a four-year-old, Jackson, MI
How will we live tomorrow?
“Together. Now, every country and people is doing things in their own way. Our problems are going to take coordination. The mindset of the group is important.”
Karen Tenbrink, Choirmaster, Jackson, MI
How will we live tomorrow?
“With increased bandwidth we’ll have enhanced telepresence. It will compensate for the lack of fuel. This is actually happening already with robotics… Radio is everywhere. Everything is wireless. Technology is good because people can use devices without actually knowing how they work. What I want to know is, why is the speed of light so slow? People don’t notice milliseconds, but we will”
David, Software Engineer, Washington, D.C.
How Will We Live Tomorrow? 