We’re still alive and kicking!

December 21 2012 was a date in history that was anticipated for at least a decade by soothsayers and ‘doomsday enthusiasts’ as the end of the world (or as some say the end of the world ‘as you know it’ by the Mayans). There were cults formed around this date all across the globe. Hollywood and YouTube were filled with 2012-oriented content and many books were written as well about this particular year 2012. Some called it the day that the earth would tilt head over heals along its axis and cause earthquakes and the like that would have the potential of wiping out most of the world. December 21 2012 came with a bang and left with a whimper!

Earlier, all kinds of Doomsday prophets like the now infamous (and also late) Harold Camping who claimed that 21 May 2011 would be the day that Jesus Christ re-appeared and this, he said, would start a process that would lead to the final destruction of planet Earth on 21 October 2011. This ‘prophesy’ caused both nervousness and irritation as Camping continued to revise the dates as each successive ‘doomsday’ passed by. 

Thankfully, Camping, before his death on 15 December this year, admitted he was wrong about the timing and said he would no longer announce any more Doomsday dates. So why is it that people on planet Earth are so obsessed with ‘Doomsday’ and ‘End of the World’ scenarios? Is it our internal longing to both fear death, while at the same time, wondering what really happens after death? Do we secretly long to die so that we will know finally what the great adventure and mystery is really like? Is a Doomsday event a secret desire for all humans to experience the end together without discrimination? Is Doomsday the ultimate global leveler, which doesn’t discriminate in any way, 

shape or form?

How long will it be before some new date is sprung up as the next Doomsday? And if so, should we even care? Because if the next date is accurate, there is nothing we can really do to prevent it. If it is not accurate, there is no need to worry about it.

One thing is certain. That which is born, dies someday. So planet Earth was formed sometime close to seven billion years ago and it will indeed someday die. When it does die perhaps billions of years into the future, either humanity will still be alive or not. There are so many scenarios that are possible. Either way, what will be will be.

In any case, we are all here on this planet for a fixed number of days. When our time comes, we leave this world. It’s that simple. So instead of us worrying about the world ending, we should live our lives every day in a way that even if it is our last day on Earth, we can leave content. Jesus Christ told us not to worry about tomorrow for ‘tomorrow will worry about itself’. By worrying can you add even one inch to yourself? Or can you really prevent something from happening by worrying? 

No. You can only prevent something by action and not by worrying. If there is something that can be done, do it and move on. Worrying never has and never will solve any problem. Most of the things we worry about don’t really happen – as the never ending, and ever safely passing, Doomsdays have shown us. 

Even then don’t waste time. Forgive that person who has wronged you. Show your love and compassion to others. Spend time with your parents, spouse or children. Go on a nice vacation. Do that good deed you’ve been talking about doing for ages. There is so much good you can do. But do it because that is what life is about, to have experiences, to learn, to love and spread goodness and light. Don’t do it because the ‘world is coming to an end’. 

Celebrate the fact you are alive and do not worry about how the world is going to end.

 

Remember this – nobody knows when the world is going to end. Only God knows and He does not want us to know. There is no need to worry either. For every single person on this earth, there will be a final day. Everybody who comes here to this world will have to go back someday to the spiritual home. But don’t keep thinking about that. It will happen whenever it is supposed to. Before that, there is so much more that we can do in this world. Live every day as best you can and treat each day as a new opportunity to do good things in the world.

The author is a freelance journalist and businessman

Email: prashantsolomon@gmail.com