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This is But Why, a podcast for curious kids from Vermont Public Radio. I'm Jane Lindholm. On this podcast, you send questions and we find answers. Well, that's usually how it works anyway. This week, we asked the question and you are doing the answering. We asked you what your hopes and dreams are for 2021 and what you would like to accomplish in the new year. These are sometimes called New Year's resolutions.
And oh my goodness, we have gotten more than 100 responses to our question. So get ready. In this episode, we're going to hear all of them. I know it's a lot, but Melody and I have found it really interesting and inspiring to hear so many of you talk about what you want the world to work toward in 2021. And I think you will too.
So Melody Bodette is actually joining us today. Hey, Melody. Hi, Jane. I'm in my closet. Normally you'd be in the studio with me, but we haven't seen each other since March, like a lot of our friends who are listening and haven't seen their friends or family members. So what are you doing in your closet? Well, recording in the closet is a trick that radio people use when we can't be in studios. Sometimes people make pillow forts, too, in their living room.
And the reason that you do things like that is so that the soft clothes in your closet or the blanket or pillow over your head can absorb the sound so it doesn't bounce around and echo like it would in a big room. Yeah, because otherwise you'd be saying, hi, Jane, Jane, Jane, Jane. Exactly. So as Jane said, we were thrilled to hear from so many of you and we're determined to get all of you in this episode. Well, let's get started.
My name is Maya and I'm from Toronto, Ontario. I'm nine years old and my environmental wish for 2021 is so that we can stop the cause of so much pollution and my personal goal is to learn Urdu and convince my brother to get a cat or dog. Thank you.
Hello, my name is Martin. I'm six years old and I live in White, England. And my New Year's resolution is to have a happy New Year. Hi, my name is Sonia. I am seven years old. I live in Chicago, Illinois. And my New Year's resolution is to do a one-handed cartwheel and a handstand.
Those are cool goals, Martin, Sonia, and Maya. But Melody, before we get too deep into all of the dreams and hopes that we've received for 2021, can we just tackle a couple of questions that seem relevant? Yeah, sure. Okay, here's the first one. My name is Camille.
I'm nine years old. I'm from Chicago, Illinois. And my question is, why does the new year always start on January 1st? Now, Melody, you did some research on this. What did you find? Well, the new year starts on January 1st because a long time ago, someone decided that it started on January 1st. Perfect.
For most of human history, different groups of people and religions and cultures all use different calendars. And some cultures use calendars that follow the moon and the stars. Other cultures started the new year when winter ended and spring began. But in ancient Rome, the year started on January 1st. January was named for the Roman god Janus. Janus is the god of doors and gateways and the god of transitions, beginnings and endings. Janus is often pictured with two faces.
Back in 1582, the calendar we use now, which is called the Gregorian calendar, was created by an astronomer for the Roman Catholic Church, and that calendar set the first day of the year as January 1st. Most of the world now follows this same calendar for a couple of reasons. One has to do with colonialism and the power of the Catholic Church in history to force other people and cultures to adapt to its rules. But the other reason is that these days it's a lot easier if we all use the same calendar and dates.
Some countries use multiple calendars or some countries use religious calendars for different holidays. Some countries celebrate holidays based on the lunar calendar and they might have different New Year's celebrations that they celebrate every year. But Melody, most countries and cultures use the Gregorian calendar, the one that we're familiar with for at least official business, right? Yeah, because that just makes it easier for everyone.
Hello, my name is Tejas and I am from Canberra, Australia. I am nine years old and my question is, who invented New Year's celebration and why did they do it?
For as long as there have been calendars, people have celebrated the first day of the new year. I mean, it's human nature to mark the passage of time and to want to celebrate making it through another year. It gives us a chance to reflect on what the past year has been like and to look ahead to the new year. It's kind of similar to how we celebrate our birthdays. But how we celebrate the new year depends on what our culture and family traditions are and where we live.
There are a lot of different kinds of celebrations, but it's a common tradition in many places to set a New Year's resolution. That's something you want to achieve or have happen in the coming year. You set it on the first of the year and you say it out loud or you write it down so that
It kind of sticks and helps you determine what you're going to do to actually get to your New Year's resolution before the year is over. Speaking of which, let's get back to what you have been telling us about what you want to see this year. It probably won't surprise anyone to hear that a lot of you just want one thing. My name is Nick.
I'm eight years old, and I live in Litchfield, Connecticut, and my hope is that COVID-19 is cured and everyone gets better. When the virus going away. And what's your name? Ade. Hello, my name is Ren, and I'm from Castle Rock, Colorado. I'm seven years old, and I hope next fall there's no coronavirus.
I'm Alexis and my hope for 2021 is people will not get so sick and coronavirus will end. When I'm five years old
six years old and I live in the city of Santa Cruz. I want coronavirus to stop. And we also heard from Ella, who's almost 12 and lives in Colorado. She wants the world's problems to be solved, including COVID-19.
With so many of you concerned about the coronavirus pandemic, we wanted to get a little advice from someone who could give us a sense of when we might be able to expect life to go back to some kind of normal. I'm Jennifer Nezzo. I'm an associate professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Jennifer Nezzo studies pandemics, and she's been talking to a lot of adults on TV and in meetings with government officials.
And here's what she told us. The good news is that I do think it will end, but it probably won't be as soon as any of us like there are vaccines now that are starting to be used. And I think those will be really important tools to help protect people. We don't yet know whether those vaccines will prevent people from transmitting the virus to each other. If they do, then I think we will start to see a
dent in the amount of people who become sick. Hopefully we'll see fewer people becoming sick as more and more vaccines begin to be used. A lot of you sent us messages about the vaccine. Clementine, I'm seven years old. I live in Sydney, Australia. I hope that the COVID vaccination works. My name is Max. I'm seven years old. I live in Boston, Massachusetts.
And my hope for the new year is that there's a vaccine for the coronavirus. Hi, my name is Josiah and I'm nine years old and I'm from Australia. My hope for 2021 is that we find a vaccine for coronavirus. My name is Agnes. I'm in third grade. I live on Long Island, New York. My hope for 2021 is for the vaccine
for coronavirus and coronavirus to end and so we don't have to wear masks and stay six feet apart anymore. Hi, my name is Cesar and I'm four years old and I live in Toronto, Canada. I hope everyone gets the vaccine so I can see my grandparents.
Hello, my name is Sophia. I live in Tustin, California, and I am six years old. And my hopes for the next year are kind of weird. I hope that COVID is done, and I hope that the vaccines are here, and I'm hoping for the cold weather and wildfires to stop.
My name is Dane and I'm six and three quarters. My wish for 2021 is that the coronavirus will stop and the vaccine will come out and we can do things that we haven't done this year and we can have our birthdays together this year. It's going to take a long time to make enough doses of the vaccines for everyone to be protected.
In most countries, public health officials are trying to figure out a fair way to get people vaccinated. That usually includes trying to protect people who are at most risk first. So you might see people who are very old or who have health conditions get vaccinated in these early days. And also people who work to protect us. Doctors and nurses and other first responders who are taking care of patients who have COVID-19.
And then people who do jobs that are necessary to keep our society running and who have to be in contact with a lot of people. So maybe, for example, adults who work in grocery stores or who are teachers in a school or who drive a bus will get the vaccine before other people. As for kids, we need to do more research before we can give the vaccine to children. But remember,
The good news is that children are less affected by this virus. It's the grown-ups that we're most worried about, so that's why the priority is to vaccinate grown-ups. Another thing a lot of you are hoping to be done with in 2021? Wearing masks. Hi, my name is Julius. I am seven years old and I live in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. When will we stop wearing our masks?
Hi, I'm Noah. I'm five years old and I live in Shannon, Massachusetts. It is that I cannot pray to all my friends without wearing masks. My name is Haley. I'm in Charlotte, North Carolina, and I'm nine years old. My New Year's resolution is for coronavirus to be over so we can see our friends and family without wearing masks or having to quarantine for two weeks.
Hi, my name is Teddy and I am six and a half years old and I'm from Richmond, Virginia. My New Year's wish is I want to stop wearing masks.
Jennifer Nozzo says you're going to need to practice patience on that one. We'll probably have to keep wearing masks and we'll probably have to still keep limiting our contacts. So that might mean not being able to see our friends for a bit longer, which I know is probably disappointing. So my personal belief is that we're probably going to have to live like this at least until the summer and possibly through the summer. I hope I'm wrong about that. Some people think it could be earlier.
Kids have been doing such a great job of wearing masks and keeping your distance. I know it's hard, but I have total faith in you that you can keep it up for a few more months to make sure everyone gets protected. And I want you to keep in mind something else. Kids, like you, have been inspiring adults all through this pandemic. You have adjusted to doing school differently, to wearing masks, to not having playdates, not seeing some of your friends and family members.
A lot of us adults look at you and say, if you can do it, we can do it. So I want to thank you for helping your adults get through this. Jennifer Nuzzo says young people have really been helping her get through this as well. You know, the thing that really makes me hopeful is actually kids. I have gotten so many emails from students around the world who have come up with really great ideas for how to reduce the amount of people who get sick.
infected with COVID. That to me, I mean, just seeing how young people have kind of stepped up and tried to do whatever they think they can do to try to make the situation a bit easier for other people has been really inspiring to me. So that's one thing that really makes me hopeful. Many of you have been telling us that you're missing school. Here's Jeremiah's wish for the new year. He's four and lives in Mississippi. In 2021,
I wish I wanted to go on a school bus to school. I'm Payton and I'm 10 years old and I live in West Bloomfield, Michigan. And my wish for 2021 is that coronavirus will get better and we can go back to school and our regular lives. My name is Jack. I'm six years old. I live in Chicago. I want to go back to school.
Hi, my name is Amy. I am six years old and I live in Oregon. My New Year's resolution is I hope I can go back to school next year and that everyone is happy. Hi, my name is Liam. I'm six years old and I live in Minnesota at Oak River. And my hopes and dreams are that I can go to school and not stay home because of coronavirus.
Jennifer Nezzo says you may be in luck. If you're not in school right now, you should be by later in the year, probably by when the Northern Hemisphere starts the new school year in our autumn. We know it's been a really hard year for many of you. Lots of you are telling us you just want to see your family again. My name is Cadence. I'm about to turn five. I live in Lexington. I was from Chicago and I really hope...
coronavirus is gone so I can visit my family. My name is Isla, I live in Auckland, New Zealand and my wish for 2021 is to have a joyful time with my family and friends. My name is Emma, I'm eight years old, I live in Dublin, Ireland and I hope next year will be where everyone can rejoin their families and friends. Bye, thank you.
My name is Xochitl, and my New Year's dream is that I can play with my little cousin more. Hello, my name is Cordelia. I'm four. I'm from Alcove, Minnesota, and my hopes and dreams is Grandma can visit us and Grandma can stay home because of coronavirus.
Hello, I am Alex from Madrid in Spain and my wish for 2021 is for COVID to disappear and see all my family again. I live in Frisco, Texas. I am six years old. My name is Ardy and my hopes for the next year are for coronavirus to go by March to see my grandparents.
I think the hardest part for me has been being away from family and the family we choose, our friends. Here's Cora. I live in New Jersey and I'm five years old and I want to play with my friends again. Hi, my name is Toby. I'm five years old. I live in Calgary, Alberta. And my hopes for 2021...
is that I can play with my friends more. My name's Rowan, I am eight years old. I live in Texas and I hope that I will make lots of friends in the new year. Hello, my name is Andrew and I'm six years old. I live in Brooklyn, California and my hopes are to see my friends again. Hi, my name is Leona. I live in
Love, Louisville, Vermont. And I am seven years old and I hope that I get to see my friends again.
Hi, my name is Aurora. I'm 10 years old. I live in Wethersfield, Vermont, and my hopes and dreams for 2021 are to be able to spend time with my friends again and to help my dad out with things on our farm. Hi, my name is Taylor. I am nine years old and from Vancouver, Canada. My wish for 2021 is that I can visit with my friends again. I am six years old and I
Pearls, Western Australia, wish for next year. I'm wishing that there is no more coronavirus and everybody can see everybody again. Hi, I'm Noah and I'm eight years old and I live in Texas. My hopes and dreams for the new year is that coronavirus is gone and people can be with each other again. That's my wish for 2021. And while we don't know exactly when it will be yet, a lot of you are already thinking about a future when we can travel again.
Hi, my name is Nikita. I'm 10 years old and I live in Herndon, Virginia. My hope and dream for 2021 is for COVID-19 to end so I can go visit my grandparents and my uncle's family in India. My name is Hannah. I live in Langley, British Columbia.
and I'm five years old and my resolutions for 2021 are that I can ride the bus, that I can make paper airplanes and paper boats, that it's safe and open to travel, and next year I can have fun in grade one! My name is Ria and I'm seven years old
And I hope in 2021, Corona will be over and we will be free to travel more places because we were stuck here. Thanks. Hi, my name is Carissa. I am six years old. I live in Brussels, Belgium.
I hope, I wish, next year 2021 would be like there will be no more corona and so my grandpa granny would come here and I could visit India.
My name is Josephine. I live in Alabama. And my hope for next year is that people will stop littering. And my New Year's resolution is to travel to Hawaii. Before we move on to other subjects, here are a few more. Hi, my name is Mia. I'm 11 years old and I live in St. Louis, Missouri. And my New Year's resolution is for everybody to be healthy and for COVID-19 to be eliminated. My name is Mercer.
I'm five years old. I live in St. Louis, Missouri. My hope is that coronavirus will end soon. Hi, my name is Connor. I live in Toronto and I am six years old. My New Year's resolution is for COVID to stop and I'm going to hand my mic to my sister now so she can say what her New Year's resolution is. Hi, my name is Veronica and I live in Toronto.
And I'm six years old. My New Year's resolution is for cats to be cuter and for COVID to stop. Hi, my name is Lovie and I am six years old and I live in Scottsdale, Arizona. And my hope for the new year is for COVID to go away.
My name is Logan. I live in Lynnhurst, Ohio and I am seven years old. And my hope for the next year is for the coronavirus to stop. Hi, my name is Frannie. I am six years old and I live in Minnesota and I want coronavirus to stop. My name is Connor and I'm seven years old and I am from Irvine, California.
I hope in 2021 that vaccines will be developed and more and more people will get and they will stay well. Four-year-old Leo in Portland, Oregon, said by email, I hope that the pandemic will be over in 2021. And here's one more thought from Neil. And I'm five years old and I live in Chicago, Illinois, and my hope for 2021 is I cope to be over so...
My friends and family can come inside the house. Even though COVID-19 is a thing we all focused on in 2020, some of you are making resolutions about personal things you want to learn to do or accomplish. My name is Ben and I'm nearly nine. I live in London, England, and my New Year's resolution is to improve my handwriting to make it easier for others to read. Hi, my name is Adelaide.
And I'm six years old, and I live in California. And next year, I want to learn how to ride my bike by myself. And here's Sydney from California. In 2021, I hope to grow a berry patch with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. I'll use them to make smoothies, fruit salads, and ice cream with my friends and family.
I really like that. I hope you grow those berries too, Sydney. Coming up, no more coronavirus, but more of your hopes and goals for 2021. This is But Why, a podcast for curious kids. I'm Jane Lindholm. For the new year, we asked you to send us your hopes and dreams. And so many of you replied.
Today, Melody Beaudet and I are going through all 100 plus of your recordings. We want you to get inspired by the creativity and motivation of your peers around the world, and maybe to feel like you're not alone in some of your wishes and goals. Hi, my name is Sally. I'm from Sydney, Australia, and I'm eight years old. And my New Year's resolution is to canter on a horse. My name is Vincent. I am seven years old.
And my hope for 2021 is for my family to live on a farm. Yeah. Hi, I'm Gemma. I'm 10 years old and I live in Vancouver, Canada. And my hopes for 2021 is to learn new tricks on my skateboard.
I know we said we weren't going to talk about the coronavirus anymore, but with a lot of events cancelled and some of our favorite places closed, some of you sent us things you want to do once we're through the pandemic. I'm Minh. I live in Hanoi, Vietnam. I wish I can go to the golf course and play golf. Hi, my name is Casper.
I am five years old and I live in Montreal and my hope for next year is that the Jazz Festival will be open. Will it be open? Hi, my name is Shivam and I am 11 years old and my hope for the next year is that we will be able to go back to sporting events.
Hi, my name is Nora. I'm six years old. I live in Kansas City, Missouri. My hope for the new year is to go to the pool. I'm Kippy and I live in British Columbia and I'm four years old. My hopes are I want to go to the trampoline park and the petting zoo.
Some of you had animals on the brain, like nine-year-old Chloe, who lives in Ohio and wrote that she wants people to stop being mean to animals and stop hurting them. Me too, Chloe. Here's Carolina. And I am seven years old from Ottawa, Canada. My wish for the next year is for coronavirus to be over and for there to be more forests for the animals.
Hi, my name is Layla. I'm eight years old. I'm from Kirkwood, Missouri. In the new year, I want all animals and shelters to be cared for. I gave money to a dog shelter where I live.
Hi, my name is Jedi. I live from Ravenna, Ohio. I am eight years old. What I want to happen for the new year is I want people to start being more responsible and no coronavirus. Like, I want people to stop polluting, and I want people to wear more masks, and I want people to treat animals better, because I love animals. Hello, I'm Eric.
I am five years old and from Danbury, Connecticut. I hope we come up with a new solution to help the puffins. My name is Isaac and I'm seven years old and I'm about to turn eight and I live in Seattle, Washington. And my hope for the next year is that people will catch less salmon
Because I want there to be at least 50 salmon out there in the Pacific Ocean. And a couple of you want to get animals to live in your home. Pets, like this kiddo who didn't include their name. My dream or hope for next year is to be a puppy dad. And that means, like, get a new puppy.
Hi, my name is Elizabeth. I am seven years old. I live in New York City and my hope for 2021 is I hope that COVID-19 will go away so I can open a puppy shop.
And a few of you want new family members. I'm Abram and I'm seven years old. I'm from Atlanta, Georgia. And my hope for coronavirus to be over for good. And my wishes so I could get brother and sister. Hi, my name is Alex. I live in Prague, Czech Republic. I'm nine years old.
And my wish for 2021 is to have a little brother. Hi, my name is Hannah. I'm five years old. I live in Roswell, Georgia. And my New Year's wish is that next year, I hope that my baby sister can talk. And here are a few more of you with things you want to learn this year.
Hi, my name is Bergie. I live in Boston and I'm six years old. I hope that I can learn a piano. Hi, my name is Spencer and I'm seven years old. And my New Year's resolution is to become better at trampolining. And Subi, who's almost 11 and lives in India, wrote to say, I hope that in 2021, COVID-19 ends and my goal is to learn a new language. That's a great goal.
Lots of you are concerned about pollution. Hi, my name is Nora. I am seven years old, and I live in Markesville, Wisconsin. And my wish for the new year is for people to stop polluting the earth so much. Hi, my name is Ishan, and I live in Scottsdale, Arizona, and I'm nine years old. And I would like for the world to be with less pollution.
Hi, my name is Lily. I'm 10 years old. I live in Wisconsin, U.S. And in 2021, I'm hoping that coronavirus will be solved. And I'm going to try and get better grades and help the environment. My name is Audrey. I am 8 years old. I live in Seattle, Washington. And my hope is...
that people will make less pollution in 2021. Hello, my name is Grace and I'm from Chicago, Illinois and I'm seven years old. I hope for 2021 is there's less pollution. Hello, my name is Joshua. I am five years old and I live in Portland, Oregon. And my hope for 2021
is we plant more trees and not pollute as much. My name is Asha. I'm six years old. I live at San Diego. And my hope for 2021 is the carbon dioxide level going to less. Liam, who's 11 and lives in Fairfax, Vermont, wrote to say, I am hoping that more places can have clean air like Fairfax.
Yanda, who's eight and lives in Singapore, wrote, My wish for 2021 is to let the coronavirus run away and for global warming to die. Here's another thought on that. My name is Miles and I am nine years old. My hope and dream for 2021 is for global warming to be reduced. Hello, this is Evelyn. I'm in fourth grade and I live in Albany, New York.
In 2021, I hope that more people believe in and pay attention to climate change. We asked someone who writes and thinks and acts on climate change what he's hopeful for this year. Hey everybody, it's Bill McKibben. I'm hopeful for 2021. I'm hopeful we'll have new presidents and I'm hopeful we'll have a vaccine that gets us out of this pandemic and back to school and work and I'm hopeful.
Most of all, that people are starting to take seriously the dangers to this planet. I hope that we're going to see lots of solar panels going up and lots of wind turbines and that the temperature will start coming down at least a little. A lot of that global warming is caused by cars. And that's where some of you would like to see change.
Hello, my name is Karev. I'm six years old. I live in Geneva, Switzerland, and next year I would like more electric cars.
Hello, my name is Bruno. I'm seven years old. I live in Taipei, Taiwan, and my hope for 2021 is that flying cars could spread through the world. Hi, my name's Desmond. I am five years old. I live in PDA Charlestown.
And I hope that people start making cars that don't pollute and people start cleaning up the oceans to make the oceans clean with no garbage in them. And while we're talking about the environment, here's something Jax in Tennessee would like to see less of. For 2021, I hope people use this plastic and they use water and the COVID-19 stops. My name is Karen. I'm five years old and
The next year I hope is that Earth is a better place and people use less plastic. Hello, my name is Tejas. I live in Canberra, Australia and I am nine years old. My hopes for next year are that we don't use as much plastic as we do now and that coronavirus will stop so that we can do the things we normally do.
My name is Lauren. I am seven years old. I live in Wisconsin, and my New Year's resolution is for sloths to take over the world and for people to use less plastic. Okay, we're almost done. I'm already so inspired and impressed by all the things you are hoping we can accomplish together as a world in this new year. Here are a few more of the personal goals you shared with us.
Hi, my name is Cameron. I'm seven years old. I live in Toronto. My wish for the next year is to ollie on a skateboard. Hi, my name is Violet. I'm seven years old. I live in Zeeland, Michigan. My New Year's resolution is to learn more about geology because I love history and rocks. Hello, my name is Paul. I'm six years old. I live in Somerville, Massachusetts.
And my hopes for the new year are, I hope that more dinosaurs will be discovered and we will find more signs of life in space. That would be a cool discovery for 2021. A few of you have thoughts on things that would help your fellow humans.
Hi, my name is Rukiel and I am seven years old. I live in Smyrna, Georgia. My hope for 2021 is everyone gets health care. I am Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I'm six and a half. I want everybody to get free health care. I'm Aneta Stone. I'm nine years old and I live in
Arizona, Gilbert, and my hopes and dreams for 2021 is for everyone to have food and water. Hi, my name is Arabella. I'm 10 years old. I live in Huddersfield, England. And for 2021, I hope more kids get to work in the government. I was really inspired by how many of you sent in your thoughts about being kind to one another. I think that's so important, especially after a year that's been really difficult.
Olivia, who's six and lives in Pennsylvania, wrote in to say, I hope that everyone will be kind to each other. Hi, my name is Penelope. I'm eight years old. I live in Toronto. And my wish for 2021 is for everyone to be kinder.
Hi, but why? My name is Richie and I'm from Newbury, Massachusetts. I'm nine years old and my New Year's resolution for 2021 is to be nicer to my brother. My name is Edith and I am six years old and I live in London, England. My hopes for 2021 are that everyone is more loving and peaceful. Hi, my name is Brazil and
I live in Seattle and I'm five and I hope that there's no fighting and everything's sweet and silly. And Millie from New Zealand wrote, My hope and dreams for 2021 are that people are kind to animals and one another and that everyone comes together to save the planet.
My name is Weston, and I'm five years old, and I live in Ohio, and I hope my baby will fall out. Hi, my name is Winter. I'm nine years old. I live in New Hampshire, and my hopes and dreams for 2021 are that I get a YouTube channel and I do good at it. Hi, my name is Shark. I live in New York. I am in first grade. I am also six.
I want to lay underwater for two minutes. Bye-bye. Wow. I hope you're as inspired as we are to keep having big dreams and goals for this year. Before we go today, here's one more adult we thought you might appreciate hearing from. Happy 2021, or 2021. This is Naomi Shihab Nye, speaking from Texas, California.
I am a poet. I am a friend of poetry, a reader of poetry since I was six years old, and very honored to be called by the Poetry Foundation in Chicago the Young People's Poet Laureate in the United States. I wish you all a very good year, and here are a couple of things I would hope for you. I hope you are kind to yourselves as writers.
I hope you believe that you could write words down every day and be led places that are interesting. I hope you have great surprises. I hope you can feel cozy when you're writing. It doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't have to be gorgeous. But let it be your friend. Write what you need to write at any given moment.
When you go back and read it later, you'll feel that honesty in it. I hope you get to go back to playgrounds and parks and festivals and libraries and all the beautiful places where people gather in the coming year. I hope you read some really great poems and share them with your friends. And I hope you stay safe. Big hugs, virtual hugs from me, Naomi, to all of you.
I'm so thankful that all of you are willing to share your hopes and dreams with us, both through your written emails and your voice messages. Oh wait, we have one more message, and we'll let this one be the last word. Hi, my name is Miriam. I'm 7 years old. I live in Taipei, Taiwan. My goal for 2021 is to learn whistling, the Budweiser song from my dad. Thanks for the show!
And thanks to you all for sending your great messages to us. We also want to thank Jennifer Nuzzo, Bill McKibben, and Naomi Shihab Nye for sharing their thoughts with us today. I hope you all have a very happy new year. That's it for this very long episode. We hope we didn't leave anyone out.
But Why is produced by me. I'm Melody Beaudet. And me, Jane Lindholm at Vermont Public Radio. Our show is distributed by PRX. Our theme music, including the whistling, is by Luke Reynolds. We had additional music today from Blue Dot Sessions. We'll be back in two weeks with an all-new episode. Until then, stay safe and stay curious. From PRX.