Monday, December 26, 2011

Armageddon







In this location where we number and count what we perceive as "time", it is approximately 5 days before the arrival of the year 2012 and there are so many myths and theories and beliefs about the so-called "end of the earth" that I will not bother to attempt to list them.

The only theory or prediction that has held my attention is the prediction that we are living in a 'time' when we are 'over due' for a major cataclysmic event of some sort. The cataclysm theory has held my interest due to the fact that I am a student of ancient history and I have learned that events do travel from location to location in a not-yet-fully-understood... cyclical manner. If you are reading this entry, you can see that I am obviously not hiding out in some cave waiting for... the end.
Instead, I am sitting in front of this electronic monitor and... thinking. It is also obvious that the earth shattering cataclysm has not yet arrived.

I used to bemoan my childhood cataclysm-related experiences and thought of them as some kind of curse that had somehow befallen me. I am fortunate that I did not somehow get 'stuck' in this doom type of life perspective and instead threw myself very deliberately into the study of ancient history and all the fascinating mysteries that awaited me. I have arrived at the understanding that these childhood cataclysm-related experiences served to mold and shape me into an individual that chooses to infinitely live and learn - versus - hovering in a state of fear based atrophy.

As a child of the fifties, we were taught to get on our hands and knees under our school desks when we heard the very audible civil defense alarms which interrupted our studies. No one ever bothered to take the time to explain to me or to my school mates that these civil defense 'practice' alarms were designed and created to announce the approach of a nuclear holocaust and that kneeling under our school desks was absolutely and completely preposterous. Fortunately, the interruption of our school day and kneeling under my school desk served as a welcome opportunity to 'misbehave' and giggle. Obviously, we were not destroyed by a nuclear bomb and I am still here to write about it.

As the daughter of fanatical fundamentalist Christians, I was taught that some horrible event referred to as Armageddon was going to arrive in... are you ready for this? 1975. Fortunately, as an intelligent and ever-questioning and free thinking child, who to this day does not accept absolutely anything as 'truth" unless - or - until I have investigated it on my own, the whole Armageddon thing did not survive for long and was completely discarded by the age of 9. On the other hand, 1975 was indeed a landmark year in my life as it marks the year that I gave birth to my son and became a mother.

At this present location (how I think of time) I am now surrounded by the most recent and impressive collection of end-of-the-world theories. Some 'experts' claim that the Mayan culture knew that the world would end in 2012 and other 'experts' claim that the Mayan calendar marks the birth of a new manner of life for the earth and it's inhabitants. Personally, I find these Mayan mysteries quite fascinating and decided long ago that the anticipation of outcomes is a very limiting way to use the brain. Instead, I choose to think of this location as the 'adventure' that it is and try to advantageously utilize the opportunities for learning that are available within it.

Armageddon and the end-of-the-world are considered to be very serious and profound topics and thus, I suppose that this is an appropriate location to include a profound and ancient quote that has served me well and so I will do so. (mirth)

"There is nothing noble about being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self"
Hindu proverb
Because I do not think that 'time' as we perceive it is in any way linear - the word "previous" in the above quote remained within it - out of respect for the 'thinker'.
If, however, I was granted consent to re-write it... I would instead write...

The true nobility is in being superior to your other selves. (mirth)


I will end this post by quoting lyrics which resonate for me and were written by my favorite folk singer Sheryl Crow.

The lyrics are from Sheryl's composition "Every Day is a Winding Road".

"I've been living on a sea of anarchy.
I've been living on coffee and nicotine.
I've been wondering if all the things I've seen, were ever... were ever really happening... ever really happening.

Jump in. Let's go.
Lay back and enjoy the show"



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