{Thoughtful Thursday} The End of the World

What would you do if you were informed that your terminal illness would only grant you a week longer to live? How about if there was only one day left before the world simply collapsed? Well, tonight is supposedly the night before my last day on Earth, and I'm afraid I have nothing to show. I also hold the firm belief that no man knows the date of the Second Coming of Christ (or, essentially, the end of the world), and therefore I see no reason in getting caught up in worry or fear. I am nowhere near perfection, but I am beyond willing to work hard in the hope of achieving it somewhere down the road and I feel safe in knowing my life is [mostly] in order.

Now, I've been asked a few times what I'm going to do before tomorrow's evident apocalypse. I've decided to humor those who are so eager to know. Whether I actually do these things will remain a mystery to those concerned.

1. Converse with as many random strangers as possible within three hours' time.

2. Tell my mother what I did in the summer of 2010.

3. Go skydiving. For real.

4. Get all my money exchanged for one-dollar bills and make it rain.

5. Write an email of sincere apology to a missionary.

6. Take the Elizabethan collar off my poor neutered puppy.

7. KARAOKE

8. Write a will. Just in case someone kills me because they think it really is the end of the world.

9. Wish all my family members and friends a Merry Christmas and tell each one how much I love them.

10. Paint a gigantic picture on a brick building.

11. Explain to my manager how to successfully treat people with genuine kindness.

12. Set up two of my friends. It just needs to happen.

13. Forgive.

14. Forget.

15. Go to the temple, hoping I can get a seat before the crowds pour in.

Dear friends, the world is not going to end tomorrow. While I appreciate your enthusiasm and persistence, I am simply not convinced. Therefore, I'll wake up at 5:30, get ready, work from 6:00 to 11:00, eat lunch, finish up my Christmas shopping, and drive to Granny's to be with my loved ones. I will keep my emotions in check and my lungs intact. Solemnly I pray that you'll live your December 21st to the fullest and not regret a moment of it. When you realize how great this can be, maybe you'll continue to act upon the same principle day by day and year by year. I've wasted too many mornings sleeping in, too many afternoons doing unnecessary things, and too many nights wishing I had used my time more wisely. Here's my wake up call. Whether you're king of the hill or you're at the lowest point of your life, there is always more to be said and more to be done. It's time to shape up! The best of luck from a fellow human.

{Random Saturday} Rolling With the Punches

It seems as though every obstacle I overcome immediately adjoins to a new problem. Sometimes I need only tackle one relatively small issue before moving on to the next objective. Other times it feels like everything that could possibly go wrong does, and the intense pressure really throws me for a loop. Would I find safety in assuming everyone else deals with these same inconveniences? Upon evaluating a summary of my life's experiences, I suffer no hesitation in concluding that no period of time passes free of any trial whatsoever.

Make yourself aware, this statement holds not an ounce of remorse or self-pity. Instead, when undertaken reasonably, I submit that this conclusion indeed yields the ability to bless he who truly understands it. You see, any rational individual could jump to the belief that a life filled with hardship equals a life of impediment and sorrow. It takes a little more research and contemplation to recognize what else your "barriers" offer.

What this realization boils down to is solely a matter of perspective. We learn from our mistakes, correct? At least, we strive to. Why not learn from the exterior circumstances that get us down? So, you get fired from your job. What a bummer. You possess the option to blame your hopelessly misconstrued ex-employer and pout about what he did to you, or to take a hard look in the mirror and figure out the details that require your attention in order to mend properly. Separate entirely from beating yourself up, this action leads you to not only fix your current problem, but to improve your situation dramatically. 

The key to improvement and its maintenance - while I'm sure that many disagree and may possibly even hold me and similar thinkers in general disapprobation for such outlandish ideas - is optimism. I strongly assert that even the direst of conditions are capable of being adapted to or conquered by administering a healthy dose of positive. No, this confirms no guarantee of a million dollars dropping into your lap, but it motivates you to set goals and subsequently work hard toward their achievement.

Recently I met a new friend, and on our third day of acquaintance we wound up engaged in a profoundly intriguing and progressive discussion. He declares that despite what we may reflect on the surface, the unspoken energy we emit from within speaks louder than our words. With great enthusiasm he explained to me how "the universe will always say yes." In other words, if a person constantly thinks negative thoughts and sends out negative energy, that's exactly what he can expect to receive in return. On the flipside, if you do everything in your power to promote love and positive energy, your surroundings will reciprocate. And this young man firmly avers that humans rely on love for basic survival.

Give heed to what dominates your thoughts on a regular basis. What brings you joy? What saddens you? What begs to be healed? Significantly, what have you to offer the world around you? Remember the Golden Rule: One should treat others how one would like others to treat oneself. Adults begin stuffing that mantra down children's throats before they even learn to speak. Why? Because it's the basic code of morality. Treat your life with optimism, and your life will treat you right back.

Happy optimizing!