That Pesky End Of Time

For each of us there is a cataclysm
The final one – the one we fear the most.
It’s nature is irrelevant most clearly
The fear of it the burden to its host.

That nagging lump of stress there in the background
Which hovers in our thoughts both night and day
The one we know that we’d avoid completely
If we lived life along some other way.

A proverb in the Bible states it clearly
If any man is on a road he hates
The end at last arrives for him quite surely:
He dies – some quickly, other ones quite late.

For me that road to doom appears financial
When output has exceeded input’s funds
That life we live depending on arrival
Of our wee boat is not a happy one.

For others it is health or bigger picture
Like economic crash or wars and strife.
Some others fear collapse of friends or family
Their intimate and precious part of life.

I’ve met some folks who fear their unemployment
Of being pushed unwillingly from work;
A change for them of technologic system;
Those market shifts; or regulatory plight.

Administrator types seem quite impervious
To all these fears we have of doom and gloom
But that’s façade, deep down beneath the surface
An ulcer grows and for this stress there’s room

Perceivers see the darker side of all life
The end of things weighs heavy on their minds
Why they can see the end of life approaching
In things not every other body minds.

I find that Jesus’ comments on the subject
Most interesting as I look at it.
He said there’s two components to the question
And cautioned on the closest not to trip.

He said our private end of things seems onerous,
I guess for each of us they surely are,
But if we keep attention on the small stuff
We miss the bigger picture’s gift by far.

The real end of things there is no date for
It might come late, arrive quite rapidly.
The little stuff responds quite well to wisdom
Or festers from our life’s stupidity.

The picture best of all that’s found in Scripture
Is Jonah in the belly of the whale
He quotes a Psalm amidst the gastric juices
“Let’s keep the longer view in this sad tale”.

In short when things turn bad here in the short term
Get out of it as quick and best you can
But don’t let silly things like war and tumult
Or pet disasters be “the end of man”.

When I look back at all the mess I’ve been through
Which for a spell quite swept me off my feet
Then I look round at all the mess remaining
“I’ve had a problem – next one’s rather sweet.”

It’s hard to keep perspective in the firestorm
Of new disasters facing us each day
For me I get an overwhelming feeling
From little thing piled high and in my way.

It seem to quickly fade once things get dealt with
The sun comes out, the clouds are blow away
But when our life just hovers on the border
Of chaos, one thing wrong – “it’s back to stay”.
 

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