I am happy to report that I am still here. The Rapture, a prophecy of Harold Camping that the world would end starting at 6:00 p.m. yesterday, didn’t pan out. The chosen weren’t taken to heaven. The non-believers aren’t enduring a plague. The world spins madly on.
I didn’t hold much faith in The Rapture. I think that if God wants to end the world, he’ll probably let all of us know, not just a select few. That’s how my faith works.
Still, as the day came closer, there were times when The Rapture entered into my consciousness. Just talking about the world ending, even in a joking way, made me think, geez, the world will end someday. Or more specifically, my world will end someday. Yours too, sorry to say. None of us really knows when our last day on earth will be. If it’s not The Rapture, it could be disease, a bad fall, crossing the street, not drinking enough coffee. We just never know.
So, while the whole Rapture thing now seems a bit silly, maybe the value of this non-event is the way it served as a reminder that our days living out this life are numbered. We are living on limited time. It’s sacred stuff we get to do here each day, and it’s easy for us to forget that. We forget to see the beauty in each step we take, the love in each friend that makes us laugh, the healing of the tears that clean our pain. We forget what an absolute miracle it is that we wake up, put our feet on the ground, and walk into another day.
But when we remember, when we find the goodness that comes from simply living our lives, we can’t help but be swept away by a feeling of pure rapture.
Hello Marion:
ReplyDeleteWhen the spectre of death creeps into one's life, as it has with us so very recently, there is no doubt that the mind becomes very sharply focussed. And, as you say here, it is not the fireworks, the champagne bubbles or the celebrity filled party that one desires....just the everyday life. There is nothing sweeter!
We are at an age, Hubby and I, when all our friends and most neighbors are elderly, and some of them leave us, with or without rapture, and their lives are forever gone. And that is the number one reason why old people are generally happy to get up each morning and greet another day.
ReplyDeleteMarion, I prefer your definition of rapture to that of the fear-based, end of times terrorists. It is good to be reminded that we can learn valuable lessons even from the most ridiculous situations. Awareness of death does add such precious value to every moment. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Bonnie
ReplyDeleteI prefer your rapture to that of the likes of Camping and others
Happy first day of the rest of your life :)
Ah so very wise and I feel myself nodding along in agreement. He certainly got our attention, whether one bought into it or not, and gave us a prominent topic for discussion. I hope others had a take away as wonderful as yours!
ReplyDeleteI completely missed all of this. A lot of these prophecies seem to come and go. Remember the Millenium bug?
ReplyDeleteLife is too short isnt it. I am reminded every day in my work.
Enjoying the rapture of this moment.
x jill
ah to live life to the fullest. a lovely reminder.
ReplyDeletexo
Marion..similar thoughts went through my head as the week went on. You are so right,we need to appreciate all that we have every day of our lives...how lucky we are to be alive :)
ReplyDeleteBest wishes Marion
Jeanne xx
What a great way of seeing it. I almost felt sorry for the people that really believed they were going. How must they feel now? Living in the here and now is what counts for me.
ReplyDeleteMarion, your words are certainly words to live by. I am so happy that we are all still here and I must say I never doubted that we wouldn't be for one moment...still it's good to take the time to appreciate life and to remember that this is no dress rehersal. Thanks for your lovely comments re. my grief. All the best.
ReplyDeleteYou always have the right words to say. My last bout with the flu and pneumonia and my trip to Asia have given me a new appreciation for life and what I have right here and now. So putting the rapture aside and knowing my days are numbered, I plan on just appreciating each day and each moment.
ReplyDeletei love your take on the rapture - the true meaning of the word~
ReplyDeletePoor Mr. Camping. He forgot to check his math. Turns out he was off by five months. Seems there's still time to get the "Happy Rapture" greeting cards out.
ReplyDeletePearl
p.s. Taking my tongue out of my cheek, I do appreciate your take on this... I'm not entirely sure that the "end of the world" will be a bad thing. Maybe for us humans -- and I certainly don't want to be present for it! -- but the animals won't miss us.