THANATOPSIS - "view of death"

So, I finally read this poem by William Cullen Bryant. I finally read it without distractions, and I must say that it is now one of my favorite poems.

It talks about the inevitability of death. The Earth, which has nourished you and I,will, in the end, "Claim thy growth, to be resolved to earth again." The poem further tells as that in death we are all equal: though we may have been wealthy or impoverished in our lives, in death there are no differences.

In the end, the poem says: So live, that when thy summons come to join The innumerable caravan, which moves To that mysterious realm, where each shall take His chamber in the silent halls of death, Though go not, like the quarry-slave at night, Scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave, Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch About him, and liest down to pleasant dreams. In simpler words: live the kind of life worth remembering by those you leave behind.

Party like it's 2012... No, party when it's 2012

Call it the Rapture or an Apocalypse, the Mayans predicted hundreds of years ago that the world, as we know it, will come to an end on December 21, 2012 or the winter solstice of 2012. Seemingly unnatural "natural" calamities stand as evidence: earthquakes, floods, and storms that occur out of season. Even the stars have changed their alignment, I think, since there is a new zodiac sign.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to frighten or sadden anybody. I'm not even trying to force anybody to believe in this "End of The World" Theory if they absolutely do not believe in it.

I don't believe that the world will absolutely come to an end exactly on the winter solstice of 2012. However, based on current environmental calamities and phenomena, I believe in the possibility of the Mayan prophecy/prediction.

I see people panic at the mere thought of the world coming to an end sooner than they expected, and I feel a twinge of being sorry for them. The lesson that can be picked up from this "end of the world" thing is that the present is more important - living in and making the most out of the present - than wondering what will happen in the future.

Now is the best time to make the most out of life. Think of it, if the world were to end soon, then we better live our lives to the fullest so that when we reach the end, we'll know that we lived a fulfilling life. No "what if" or "should have."

So when the end comes, you'll embrace it, knowing you made the most out of this life.

It's what I would call progress

I have a crush on someone. That's not really news, but this is: my admiration for this guy was not sparked by attraction to his looks. Instead, this crush grew from admiration of his honest mind. He's brilliant, smart, a Harry Potter fan, and an avid reader. He's a wonderful blogger and his writing is impeccable. He's my age and he and I are from the same country.

Where did I find him? Tumblr. What's his name? Ask me not.

He's admirable because of his passion for reading. He's not a literature major, and yet he reads more than I do. I will admit, his writing style's better than mine. His passion is what makes me admire him.

For once, I do not like a guy for his handsome face or charming smile... For once I felt something for someone using something other than my foolish eyes.

Personally, this is what I would call progress. Gone is the girl who hungered for attention and affection from a handsome man. A mature young woman taught her to turn her eye from the physical and direct them to the word that came from that physical being.

The Sheldon Cooper Juxtaposition

Sheldon Cooper is an asexual being. That is, he is sexually attracted to neither women nor men. He dedicates himself to his intellectual pursuits, to science fiction, to video games and to comic books. He's happy and content with the kind of life he has. Romance is of no importance.

That said, I could learn a thing or two from Sheldon. I may not have a relationship, that doesn't mean I have to feel lonely or miserable. I don't even have to worry about whether or not I'll ever find somebody. The way I should look at it is this: If I find somebody, then, wow, I'll be eternally thankful for that. And if I don't, then I'll be fine.

Looking at the kind of life I have right now - being a busy student working to earn a degree in order to be well-off - a romantic relationship isn't really on top of my Needs List.

I better enjoy myself right now - with reading, writing, keeping myself out trouble, being a nerd, and being happy.

Being a Sheldon Cooper in my last year as a teenager and as a young woman in her early 20s probably wouldn't be so bad.

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Famous Last Words (as inspired by'Last Words, an episode of How I Met Your Mother)

Last words - they're a lot of pressure. They count so much that you just want to be sure that all the words you say will be worth remembering.  This is why every moment counts.

What if the one we love dies, or goes missing, or goes away for a really long time - would you want your last memories with that person to be of a moment of anger or disagreement? Would you want your last words to them be words of hatred, resentment, or spite?

But do last words even really matter? I think they do. The last words we say before we go - either through death or simply when we part ways with the people we care most about - will be the lasting memory we have with other people. That is why I like jokes, though they may be corny or the punch line isn't really funny, because I appreciate the person's effort to make me laugh or simply chuckle. Somehow, through that joke, someone shed some rays of happiness in my life. And this is also why I can't be 100% serious and business-like. I always want to put a smile on people's face or crack people up. It's because I want my memories of people to be happy memories, the same way I want their memory of me to be a happy one.

Now, think about it: what were the last words you said to your parents? To your brother or sister? What about your girlfriend or your boyfriend or spouse? To your friends? Are you sure those are the words you want to be remembered by if, God forbids, you reach the end of your life?

Last words are a lot of pressure, but don't think about it in that light. Just know that every moment counts in this life. Every second counts in the ticking clock known as Life.