I’m not typically apocalyptic. And I don’t really believe the world will end on December 21, 2012. But it’s interesting to think about what I would do, or not do, if it were true.
I would not, for instance, spend another second cleaning out or cleaning up too much. After all, who cares? And all my junk is a great archeological dig for some future species, if there is one.
Suddenly, too, all those meetings to “get things done” by the end of the year seem kind of silly. I mean, what’s the struggle for? If the world ends, we won’t need to eradicate GMOs or stop chronic diseases. Nature (or whoever/whatever is behind the world’s end) would take care of that for us.
Exercise? Maybe for fun. Maybe just to appreciate life and be out in the beauty of nature. But I wouldn’t force it on myself.
Food? I’ve had enough great meals for a lifetime. I’d eat well, but stuffing myself would not be high on my list.
Stocking up? Why bother if the world is truly ending. In my thought exercise, it would be useless to try and survive.
So what’s left?
The only thing that matters.
Being with those people I love the most. Enjoying their company and the pleasure of their touch. Smiles. Laughter. Sharing sorrows. Sharing joys.
Funny, but I don’t feel afraid of the world ending—as long as we all go together! I’ve made my peace with the spirit world and what it means for me (of course, I could change my mind, and I am pretending that there would be no long drawn-out suffering involved…).
Love. That’s all.
Anyway, I hope it doesn’t end. And if it doesn’t, I hope I remember that the most important thing is love.
Maria, you have such a wonderful way of cutting right to the heart of the matter. We live in the town next to Sandy Hook, CT. For many families there it seems the world has ended. And yet the one thing that remains is the love we have. There has been so much outpouring of love and support to the families in Sandy Hook Elementary School. It is very inspiring.
I don’t believe the world will end on the 21st either, but if it did or when it does, I believe that nothing can destroy the love in our hearts. That is eternal and indestructible.
We are not putting much under the Christmas tree this year. It’s not about getting more stuff. We are just going to be together. It’s about the love.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful thought that the important thing in life is love.
I gave up giving gifts in the late 80’s or early 90’s. It’s all about being together and sharing in the good times and bad, and sharing the season. We have a big dinner with family and some friends, laugh, joke, kid each other, and think of times and holidays past. It’s all about giving to each other in more profound ways, not ‘things.’ If the world were to end on the 21st, I would hope that I lived a decent life life and helped where I could and also made my peace with my maker.
Dear Maria
This year my 12 and 13 yer old told me they know about Santa Claus. They told us that they wanted only a few material things this year but mostly they just want us to do things together as a family. So we are having no secret presents under the tree this year but instead are just going to spend the week in a cabin in Tennessee and really talk and just be together. I think this is what I would want to do if the world ended tomorrow. I am so thankful for my kids because they really are here to teach us rather than us teaching them.