Well, since the Great Apocalypse of 2012 has not yet occurred, I guess it’s time to stop procrastinating and actually set out to accomplish the goals I set for this holiday break. AKA, time to do my laundry and wrap those last minute presents. Shucks.

I must admit that I find the whole rigamaroo about today to be silly, yet very amusing. Were there people that truly thought that December 21st, 2012 would be a day filled with catastrophic events, plagues of insects, horse manure raining from the sky [or is it blood? I can never remember these things], and otherwise unorthodox behavioral patterns from the Mother Nature we know and love?

I live in Florida, by the way, so I already survive most of these world-ending events every summer: hurricanes, tornadoes, plagues of mosquitoes and cockroaches, and – quite accidentally – a rainstorm of horse poop thanks to a very misguided attempt on my part to help a friend shovel out the stables at her parents’ farm a few years ago. Long story.

Really, though – do people truly worry about this sort of thing? Were people out purchasing survival kits and MREs and building bunkers in their backyards [like that alliteration, my friends?] in preparation of this date? Was this more than a good guffaw and a plight of serious panic for a good portion of the population?

While I am not a religious person, I do believe in a divine force – something that brought us here, for whatever whimsical purpose they had in mind. I believe in science, evolution, the big-bang and what-have-you, of course, but I do believe there is a force and purpose behind all of it. I cannot define it and I certainly won’t engage in a religious debate with anyone to try and justify it; it’s just a feeling deep inside me and I go with it.

That being said, I don’t fear the end of the world nor do I look forward to the possibility of leaving this earth for something better beyond. I believe in this life and that the purpose behind it is to do as much as I can, experience as much as I can, and impact as much as I can with the time that I am given. I believe the core purpose of living is to live, to feel emotions, and to leave ripples in the water.

With that being said, living your life in fear of [or in preparation for] the END of the world is completely counter-intuitive. That’s as if you spent your entire life saving every penny you earned only to die with millions in the bank. What’s the point? While I believe in the purpose and security of saving, I also spend my money. While I believe in remembering your past and learning from it, I don’t dwell on it. While I know that life can end at any moment – especially with the crazy drivers I see in this city – I don’t live my life fearing it by any means.

I take moderate precautions, wear my helmet and seatbelt, and eat relatively wholesome and well. I exercise, don’t smoke, and the worst drug I do is the occasional energy drink. However, I’m one to enjoy a good beer, a glass [who am I kidding? a BOTTLE of] wine, and the occasional all-out gorge fest on chocolate and ice cream.

I couldn’t imagine going through my life in constant preparation for doomsday, having that expectation looming in my mind at all times. That is not a way to live. So, while I poke fun at the 12.21.12 conspiracy theory that has been floating around for years, I also feel sorry for the people who truly believed in it. I worry about how much of their life they sacrificed in preparation for the end.

Just because your heart is beating and air enters your lungs doesn’t mean you are living, people. You’re existing. You’re surviving. There is a difference. You are NOT living.

So, to all of those who believed the world was going to end today and have opened their eyes and seen the sun and realized they are still here, I implore you: GO LIVE. Now.

This is your second chance to reclaim your life. This is your second chance to fall in love, start a new hobby, experience heartbreak [a necessary pain in life], have a child, change careers, LIVE. Don’t go through life preparing for the end; go through life experiencing everything you can and sending out as much positive energy and love as possible along the way. And if/when the end finds you, I hope it comes at a point when you are satisfied with the life you’ve lived, knowing that you maximized every day.

Feeling, experiencing, and impacting. That is the true meaning of life. At least in my book, that is.

Optimistic for a beautiful 2013,

~ Victoria Elizabeth Ann