During a deep, drunken conversation my ex-boyfriend told me about the end of the world prophecy on 12/21/2012. I, personally, don’t really buy into those types of predictions… but it definately gives you a lot to think about.

The end of the world. What does that even mean? Is the earth going to suddenly blow up? Disappear? Cease to exist? How does an entire world just… end? I was raised in the Christian Church and was taught to believe that one day the Lord will come back and take all of the Christians to heaven. The rest of the world will be left in ruins and controlled by the devil. Will this really happen? Who knows. Like all end of the world prophecies, the Book of Revelations in the Christian Bible is all prediction. No one really knows what will happen and when.

Two days ago I was telling someone about the 2012 Prophecy and he just kind of laughed. That is a typical response. No one really knows how to react when someone suggests that we only have 4 more years until the end of the world. It is heavy stuff. But he did ask me a question that got me thinking even more. He said, “If you knew that the world really was going to end in 4 years, would you start living differently?” Without any hesitation, I said no.

Why? Because I like my life. For the most part, I would even say that I love my life. I try to live to the fullest and am generally happy with the decisions I have made. I don’t have very many regrets and there isn’t much about my life that I would change. Of course, there are little things. Insignificant things. Like debt… and arguments… and terrible first kisses. But all in all, I do what I want to. I make things happen. I don’t let people talk me out of anything. I live in the moment.

I realize that I sound a bit pretentious. Please forgive me. My point is not to say that I, myself, am so great. I have a lot of flaws and I know it. Changing yourself is hard… but changing how you live is not. Ask yourself the same question. How would you change how you live if you only had 4 years left? Or 4 months? Or 4 days? Would you travel more? Hug your family more? Dance? Laugh? Smile at strangers? What could you do to make your life more fulfilling?

I just don’t think that I would do things differently. And I am so thankful that I have had the courage to live my life with so little restraint. I know that not everyone is so brave.

It’s a timeless question: What would you do if your days were numbered? Think about it. Ponder it. It might put your life into perspective. And no matter what… hug your family, laugh out loud, and smile at strangers. Everyday single day. Until the end of the world.