Between Now and Saturday
Some say Saturday is the end of the world. I’m counting on that NOT happening, but the persistent media coverage of it has led me to think about what I would do if it was true. Have you ever considered something like this? Let’s say you knew for sure a week ago that this Saturday was the end, what would you have been doing?
I’m certain I wouldn’t have worried much about whether or not I got the phone number right in a car commercial I produced. Probably wouldn’t have care much if I hit any deadlines at work. Hell, I would have quit my job; I love it but who needs a job if the world is ending? I’m not cleaning the bathroom or washing my car.
I would have blown my 401k on first class airfare to New Orleans, Asheville, Milwaukee, Norfolk, Raleigh, Seattle, Corvalis, Kona, Colorado Springs and London, all places where important people in my life live. I would have spent whatever time I could in each, talking, hugging and loving. Conversations would include questions like Where did the past twenty years go? What did you really think that day? Why did we wait so long? Why are your clothes still on?
What would you be doing? Or saying? What would you say to an old girlfriend who dumped you for a more “interesting” man she had been seeing behind your back for six months? What would you say to an old boyfriend who left you because he didn’t like some physical characteristic about you, one you had no control over anyway? How would you greet the boss who fired you or the bully who hit you?
So here we are on Thursday, less than two days from the end. NOW what do we do? Think about that?
Would you really want to know the end was coming and when? Forget the end of the world, do you ever think what you’d do if you knew exactly when and how your own life would end?
I’m pretty sure Planet Earth still be around this Sunday. So I have a meeting on Monday, dinner with a friend on Thursday, more friend time next weekend, a 5k charity walk on Memorial Day, etc. But maybe all this thinking about how short and unpredictable life is will help me remove a few less important things from my calendar.
I’m certain I wouldn’t have worried much about whether or not I got the phone number right in a car commercial I produced. Probably wouldn’t have care much if I hit any deadlines at work. Hell, I would have quit my job; I love it but who needs a job if the world is ending? I’m not cleaning the bathroom or washing my car.
I would have blown my 401k on first class airfare to New Orleans, Asheville, Milwaukee, Norfolk, Raleigh, Seattle, Corvalis, Kona, Colorado Springs and London, all places where important people in my life live. I would have spent whatever time I could in each, talking, hugging and loving. Conversations would include questions like Where did the past twenty years go? What did you really think that day? Why did we wait so long? Why are your clothes still on?
What would you be doing? Or saying? What would you say to an old girlfriend who dumped you for a more “interesting” man she had been seeing behind your back for six months? What would you say to an old boyfriend who left you because he didn’t like some physical characteristic about you, one you had no control over anyway? How would you greet the boss who fired you or the bully who hit you?
So here we are on Thursday, less than two days from the end. NOW what do we do? Think about that?
Would you really want to know the end was coming and when? Forget the end of the world, do you ever think what you’d do if you knew exactly when and how your own life would end?
I’m pretty sure Planet Earth still be around this Sunday. So I have a meeting on Monday, dinner with a friend on Thursday, more friend time next weekend, a 5k charity walk on Memorial Day, etc. But maybe all this thinking about how short and unpredictable life is will help me remove a few less important things from my calendar.
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