AS a novice photographer, I wanted to challenge myself. Thus I began the 365 day challenge, where I need to take a photo or write something everyday.I chose with the very broad topic "The World Around Me" because my desire to become a capable photographer has it's roots in the desire to share the world how I see it. This is a journal to document my journey!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Day 16- Reflecting on the End of the World


Last night, I laid awake in prayer. Well, I wouldn’t consider it prayer, more like a conversation with God. With prayer, I find that most people are asking for something and I really don’t want anything in return other than a few minutes of time to express myself. Apparently, the world is going to end on May 21st and I felt the need to discuss this with the almighty father.
Of course, I can no longer count the number of times the world was supposed to end in my lifetime. It seems every few years they are predicting that our Lord is going to destroy us. It could just be that these warnings of immanent destruction really don’t have much sway on me and I find myself just going on with my daily life.
I have never been able to take the threat seriously. Perhaps it is the artist in me that prevents me from believing. I look at all the beauty that the Lord has surrounded us in and just can’t buy it. Each and every blade of grass, pedal and thorn has its own beauty. One click of a button, capturing the perfectly placed dew drop on a crisp green leaf, makes me wonder how God could ever doubt his own ability and see the need to destroy everything he has created.
Perhaps, I am a bit haughty to believe that my little self is capable of empathizing with the almighty. However, I am an artist, a parent and a creator and not once have I looked down at my works and not been able to find a sliver of good in them. There is always something about them that is worth keeping. They say that we are created in the Lord’s image and since these are my natural reactions and pure emotions, would they be that far off from another parent, artist or creator.
While I was discussing this with God, I couldn’t help but feel just a bit frustrated at the people that come up with these theories. I went to a few websites and they had all these passages from the Bible, justifying their claims. Did they really read the Bible and only take away that God was going to destroy the world? How many hours did they spend sifting through all the passages to predict our end?
I have never believed that the Bible is meant to damn us. I have always felt that the Bible is meant to inspire us when we are lacking a muse, guide us when we are lost, comfort us when we are in need and remind us of who we are when we are swayed. For every trial we face, there is a passage to help us along our way. How could a book capable of all that have such hidden meaning?
I was even more frustrated by the fact that people devote their lives to such a cause. What sad miserable existence to focus on the end of the world. At any given moment any person any where can die. Life is fleeting and in an instant it can be ended. You can live a healthy life abstaining from harmful substances, exercising and doing everything in your power to extend your life only to be hit by a car. There are no guarantees on the time we are here. Why would anyone waste their precious life thinking only about the end?
Death is the final journey. It doesn’t matter if it comes when you are sleeping at a ripe old age, if it is a tragic plain crash or the end of the world, because you can’t take anyone or anything with you. Even if you are surrounded by people, you die alone. All that is left, are the memories of the life you had once lived.
So Saturday, the world is going to end. I will wake up to my family. I’ll probably snuggle under the covers and try to get fifteen more minutes of sleep, like every other day. I’ll fight with my daughter because she doesn’t want to eat her lunch and change my son’s poopy diapers. I’ll kiss my husband and he will probably tease me through out the day. I’ll take pictures and do chores. We will live, laugh and love, just like any other day. I will be grateful to be blessed with everything I have.
If Sunday comes, I’ll do it all over again. If Sunday doesn’t come, I will be okay because it was a great ride while it lasted. At least, I won’t have to pay off my credit cards.

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