So, this morning I proudly told The Man that I had scored above 79% of the general population on the PEW Research Center News IQ test.
“Ah…good,” said The Man.
“Well, on second thought, I think it is evidence that I need to pay a whole lot more attention to my own life. I was just reading that Bible passage this morning that says: ‘Keep your mind on things that are above, not on things of the earth.’”
To this The Man instantly replied, “Oh, don’t worry about it. It won’t matter after today at 6 o’clock.”
Oh, That Man.
You have heard all about today at 6 pm, haven’t you? Well, if you haven’t, you’re obviously paying good attention to your own life, and not the the news media. Actually, I’m pleased to say I have not paid any attention to the matter on the news, either, so I cannot relate details. However, The Man has told me that a man, a preacher, I think, is predicting the Rapture and the end of the world today at 6 pm. I’m not certain if that is Eastern, Central, or Pacific time. I cannot give any further details, because I am practicing not looking up all these tidbits on the web and cramming them into my brain already bursting with news and info. If you are worried, look it up.
It strikes me that the person making such a bold, and public, prediction is paying good attention to his own life, ie: his desires, his goals, his opinions, his values. Good for him!
What if this were to turn out to be–after all, even without the dire end-of-the-world prediction, none of us knows when we might go–turn out to be my last day? What would I do with it?
If the doctor told me I had six minutes to live, I’d type a little faster. ~Isaac Asimov
The Man, Son, Grandson all went out on the boat. To go with them and have a last day of family togetherness might seem the thing to do.
But no–I stayed home to experience an entire day of paying attention to my own life! I’ve written, puttered and watered the garden, and am now back inside with cream soda on ice, sitting here with absolutely no one saying: “I’m hungry…where’s this…will you do that…did you?” Ah, silence.
Today, I’m paying attention to my own precious life, especially to the things that bring me delight…writing, writing, writing, and when I’m done with that, I’ll putter in the garden again, and then there is reading, sitting on the porch and seeing the beauty, praying…oh, and eating watermelon and spitting seeds.
Life is denied by lack of attention, whether it be to cleaning windows or trying to write a masterpiece. ~Nadia Boulanger, composer.
What might you do on your last day?
Curtiss Ann Matlock 
Hi Curtiss Ann,
Love, love, love your concluding paragraph. It is THE long-lost secret of happiness: doing what brings us JOY and none others harm!
I joyfully ordered one of your novels to take up to Mackinac Island for my week’s vacation in 2 weeks. Looking so forward to having it in my book bag and my hands!
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I would spend my last few hours gorging myself on ALL the foods I cannot eat , especially desserts, without paying the price for weeks and weeks…my own Last Supper.
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Oh, Denise, what a hoot! I never even thought of that–eating all the foods I could not eat. I would drink as much tea as I wished and have very fine shortbread. 🙂 Sending hugs, my friend. CurtissAnn
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Well, now we know it wasn’t that day. I spent it having fun. Today I spent with Bear reading and playing on my new iPad. Fun is what you make it. Once a lady friend of mine was worried about the end times because her preacher was focused on it. I told her today a bus might hit her and it would be her end time (or time of new beginnings.) She said she never thought of it that way.~~Dee
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Glad the world didn’t end as predicted, or I’d have missed this post! I steer away from the news, so I didn’t know it was even predicted; I’ll bet that man feels a little silly now, don’t you think?
I can’t always spend an entire day paying attention to my life, but I try to spend a little time each day doing so. Usually, I try to do so as early in the day as possible, just in case things get busy and time gets away from me.
I don’t get around much anymore (an old song title, isn’t it?), but I think of you often, always with a smile, as I water my flower beds and see the lilies you sent last year. Hope you are staying safe and the bad weather is missing you and your summer is going well. Hugs to ya, honey!
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6PM? I was told it was 3. 🙂 I lived my life today as I normally do, because in the grand scheme of things all that matters is the moment.
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Maxie, so glad to hear from you. I walked past Mama’s door and asked her, “Did we get left behind?” LOL! Oh, what a lovely day I had, living in the moment, as you said. Xxooo
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Today I am reflecting on that preacher’s (I wouldn’t think he would be a very good pastor) warnings. I would welcome it as the end of the world, but only God can tell us when that will happen. Today I am doing what I want to do. I want to finish a quilt top for a dear friend who is doing some jewelry for another friend for free gratis. Since I put the two friends together, I want to be an instrument of giving thanks for their friendships. Today I am going to the cemetery to change some flowers in preparation for Memorial weekend. It is predicted heavy rains for this week and sometimes our area floods so I want to make sure there are flowers on my husband’s grave–albeit artificial ones.
Today I am going to make some personal phone calls to people I love—-just because. I DO NOT believe this is the Rapture, cause if it is, I would probably be left behind and since I serve a gracious God, I just don’t believe this preacher’s predictions.
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