If the world was ending.

A poem inspired by recent world events.

If the world was ending...

If the world was ending, what would you say? Would you be open and free on your last day? Or would you scream and yell? That this is not fair How could God do this to us? I cannot bare If I couldn’t see you again, what would I do? I’d move mountains, just to embrace you And tell you I’m sorry Tell you I was afraid Tell you if things were different, truly That I’d be there, unafraid If the world was ending, how much would you cry? Would your tears come with laughter, or with pain in your eyes? Would you say you lived? To the fullest? Became what you dreamed as a child To the fullest? If the world was ending, and this was it I’d hold your hand, with all my soul; this is it! I’d hug you with the sun I’d kiss you by the moon We had our time But it was too soon

--

I always thought it was fascinating to think about the world ending. Knowing when it'd end. And if we did, what would we do differently? Would we call an ex-lover? And let them know we still love them, even though we're no longer meant to be? These are things that I've thought about over the years.

I don't necessarily want to write about the Coronavirus (otherwise known as COVID-19) but it's also an unprecedented time in our history. I don't think the world is literally ending. But the world did change. For better or worse, the world we knew before the outbreak will not be the same any longer. These events inspired me to write this poem.

Will we have a renewed passion for life? Or will we cling to what we've always known? It should be interesting. All I know is that I don't want to live with regrets, nor do I want to take for granted what we have, or had. Simple things like going to restaurants, or socializing, are taken for granted. Like tomorrow, they aren't necessarily a guarantee.

I don't tell my friends enough that I love them. I don't even communicate with them as much as I should. I know I can put more effort into showing my love and support to my friends and family. I know I'm not unique here in this situation, either. Trust me!

Some days I don't have the strength or desire to do what I feel I need to, to grow. Other days I feel ready to tackle every challenge in my life. Regardless, I've come to realize, just like with my meditation, I always feel better at the end of the day when I've accomplished something. It helps me grow, and it helps me love myself. If you're with your loved one, embrace them. If you're alone, embrace yourself. Talk to yourself as if you were talking to someone you love. What would you say differently?

That's what I do, anyway, and it's made all the difference.

Perspective.

-JTC