If Tomorrow Never Comes ...

I'm sitting at my desk, racking my brains on what to blog about.  I have some poems percolating, but nothing publishable ... assuming any of those already published are. What could I talk about on Writing In Life?  Boom ... it hits me like a meteorite that has plummeted from space just for me.  I have been purposely ignoring the fact that this may be my last chance to say anything meaningful to the masses. Today may be Judgement Day.  According to Harold Camping and, of course, the Book of Ezekiel, most of us will succumb to a westward moving earthquake.  There will be a few thousand who will be "saved", but I'm betting, based on the number of times I've been to Church in the past few years, that I will not be among the chosen ones.  Humph! If that isn't a pressure-cooker of a deadline, I don't know what is! 

There are tons of things I could talk about.  How grateful I am to have come this far in life.  How I am a decent and worthy person (according to just about everybody but one person I can think of!).  Maybe I could discuss my career, which is based in my value of human beings and the human spirit.  I love my family.  I love my friends.  I love my faith and my God and my life.  All of these things I could expound on, share stories about, and reflect on, but time is running out.  Instead I will talk about my hopes for the afterlife, which I firmly believe in ... on my good days. 

I really hope I get to go to Heaven.  My time on Earth has served as Purgatory enough and quite frankly I hate waiting.  As far as my destination being to the lower level- I've sinned, but I don't think enough to cause any elevator to plunge to the bottom of Hell.  It's safe to bet that I will either: not pass my parole hearing out of Purgatory, or, that He will give me the benefit of the doubt and let me through the pearly gates (if only on a trial basis).  Upon my admission to Heaven, my first priority would be to find my friends and family who perished with me in the earthquake.  Hopefully, everyone I love has reached the same destinations as I (if only on a trial basis).  How relieved I will be to know that they are with me and safe with God.  My second order of business would be to find a few people who also died in the quake, but who I had no longer been in contact with on Earth.  I would tell them that I was sorry.  I would tell them how much I love them.  I would forgive them and ask them to reciprocate.  I would rejoice that now we could be together again without the burden of Earthly things that made us part.  Finally, I would find those who died before this day.  I have waited so long to see them again and talk to them.  My father and I will be together again.  He will embrace me and tell me how much he loves me.  We will talk and laugh and sing and dance and love and forgive.  The joy will be overwhelming and I will weep with happiness.  Sounds pretty lovely to me, assuming all goes according to plan. 

We should regard today as our last day and take the opportunity to reflect on our lives.  Have you done everything you wanted to do? 

Have you told all those you love how you feel? 

Have you forgiven and put aside pride or spite or self righteousness? 

Do you strive to be all you are supposed to be? 

Have you been the person God wants you to be and gave you the gifts to be? 

I can honestly say that my answer to all of these questions is no, so if there is a tomorrow, I have my work cut out for me!!!
What about you?