The Golden Necklace

Earth was long gone, the human wars over race, power, religion, had ended in irreconcilable differences and nukes. What a waste.

The few survivors that came out of the aftermath of the war, our ancestors, came from all over the Earth, from every country and civilization and worked together. They were the survivors, the people that found a deep shelter and food storages while the power hungry were fighting over pieces of land that never really belonged to them. After they destroyed themselves, the survivors, the scavengers, the thinkers that remained, our ancestors left Earth in search of a new habitable planet. Funny how color, religion, and power didn’t matter when everyone is trying to survive and come together. How did a world with so much technology and advancement forget such a simple concept? Probably the same way that ego, power and greed overtook common sense. They became to complacent and confident that they used weapons of mass destruction to destroy the planet on which they lived. Somehow us humans were better than the scientific laws that governed our very existence. How prideful.

My grandmother was born on the transport ship. She had dark skin like her mother, silky black hair like her father, and a strong athletic build. She was smart, funny and quickly learned the mechanics and the technology of the ship. She tinkered and played with machinery since she was a little girl. She had a natural aptitude to fixing things and solving problems. She loved her flying home and studied to learn everything she could about it, but her life changed when she bumped into the captain of the ship!

The ship was decked out with all the amenities a luxury cruise would contain and with a variety of cultures blended together, there was no lack of entertainment either. It was on one of those nights when the liquid courage was flowing and the rhythm of the music took control that my grandmother and grandfather found each other on the dance floor. They danced the night away singing the familiar songs from Earth to each other as they gazed into each other’s eyes. She found his sense of style, charm and confidence attractive and he was impressed by her intellect and sense of humor. They walked the decks of the ship and gazed out the round windows to look at the stars. They shared a romantic high end dinner, a delicacy back on Earth known as a Chicago style hotdog. Apparently, Chicago style was the pinnacle preparation style for this specialty meat.

My grandfather was in full military uniform, my grandmother in a nice blue dress and by the nights end, they fell in love. My grandfather, the captain of the starship had gifted my grandmother with a golden heart necklace signifying his love for her. They spent the rest of their life on the ship caring for the passengers and the family they created. They were the first people to step foot on the new world. I am the descendant of a captain and a mechanic. I am honored to be wearing my grandmother’s golden necklace as a reminder of the love we as humans are capable of even in the most diverse situations.

I wear this necklace everyday of my life, every time I’m on the outer reaches of our new world, fighting for our freedoms and protection from other species that seek to destroy or control us. We are not alone in this universe. We are not the only race that exists among the realms. Reaching out for peace, trying to bridge the gaps of hatred, understanding and accepting each other’s differences and how that makes us more diverse and better as whole, that is worth doing. Bridging the divide so that we don’t destroy ourselves again is the key to our survival. This is the key to all of humanity’s survival. Defend what you hold dear, love with all your heart, and love each day like it’s your last!

My grandparents and parents took their courage and love to work together for this new sustainable life we’ve created. I will fight with everything to protect all they worked so hard to cultivate. We are the human race, surviving within the galaxy and this golden heart necklace will always remind me what is worth fighting for.