The End of the World

Last week was a crazy week of travel and, what's worse for me, no internet connection for most of the trip.  I will blog about the trip later on but for now, it's time to get back to the 30 Day Blogging Challenge over at writing.com.  Today's prompt: December 21, 2012 is supposed to be the end of the world. Do you think it will it be a cataclysmic shift of Earth itself, a transformative shift in human consciousness, or something else?


The whole idea of the end of the world scares the bejeezus out of me.  What if Revelation is right and the Day of Judgment is coming?  Am I ready?  Are my kids and husband ready?  Will some of us go to Heaven and others to Hell?  Let's just say I do get into Heaven (a fact I doubt greatly sometimes due to my religious beliefs, but that's a subject for a whole 'nother post).  If I get into Heaven and Jim or either of the boys doesn't , would it still be Heaven for me?  Could I stroll those Elysian Fields in peace and tranquility knowing the ones I love will never be there.  No, that would not be Heaven, but would instead be the inner circle of damnation.


But what if the end of the world means something else. Astronomy tells us that we're entering a new astronomical phase and the Earth is shifting and changing.  Maybe the end of the world is simply a major astrological and/or geological shift?  If that's the case, I wonder if humans will be able to adapt.  I believe we could.  We're an incredibly adaptive and inventive species.  


I wish I could believe the end of the world could be a shift in human consciousness.  In the late Sixties everyone was excited about the coming Age of Aquarius -- a time when peace and love would reign supreme.  But unfortunately the dreams of the Sixties could not stand against the realities of human nature.  For every person  willing to share everything there were several greedy, self-centered vampires willing to use the good then toss the carcasses aside.  The late Sixties were a skirmish between Good and Evil.  Good shone for a while but in the end, Evil conquered and celebrated the Me Generation which led to the excesses of the last thirty years.


Maybe the end of the world will be some rogue power gaining control of and using nuclear weapons.  I could easily see that happening.


Maybe the end of the world will be a complete collapse of the financial infrastructure.  That could easily lead to walled, armed communities and atrocities by the strong against the weak like we haven't seen since the European Middle Ages.  I could easily see that happening too.


What I find interesting is that both the Mayans and a Chinese civilization predicted the same date for the end of the world.  I forget which Chinese civilization it was, but I heard about it on the History Channel and I find it quite intriguing that they both predicted the same date.  


Maybe the best advice comes from the Christian faith.  According to the Gospels, Jesus said we would not know when the end was coming.  If that's correct both the Mayans and the Chinese must have been wrong about the date.  That's the hope I will cling to as December 2012 approaches.  We cannot know the date, so any specific date must be wrong.  Knowing that, it only makes sense to live as Christ taught us - as if the end could come at any time.  Then, whatever it is that ends the world -- be it a stupid human conquest or simple greed -- I'll be ready.


Copyright © 2011 Denise Duggan