Amnesia

Can you feel it too? Every nerve ending in my body is waiting for something major to happen in the next year. Its sort of like a dog who can sense an earthquake, or horses going stir crazy when the pressure drops signalling a tornado.

I don’t know if its going to be another major terrorist attack or if the war with Iran will actually happen, but the famed biblical four horsemen are certainly saddling their horses. I really don’t like being a harbinger of doom, but if you look at all the strife happening about this entire world right now, the only thing missing is the sheer panic of an impending apocalypse. The western world is too busy gawking at their plasma screen TVs while the poorer countries are scrimping enough food together in light of the odd weather. My son came home from church this morning talking of the end of the world.

With the decline of the dollar, the current economic downtrend, inflation, the price of oil, the ongoing expensive cost of the war in Iraq, the earthquakes, the floods, the fighting, and the strife plaguing the globe, I’m surprised more people aren’t building bomb shelters in their backyards. At this point, I’d welcome an alien invasion. It might be the only thing that keeps the human race from destroying itself.

It’s almost as if apathy is going to be our biggest downfall. We’ll argue until we’re blue in the face that global warming does or doesn’t exist, and in that time we could have planted a few trees.

We cringe at the price of gas, and yet we still seem to need our full size SUVs.

Governments continue to send in their troops to an untenable war and as long as we have Starbucks and McDonalds, we’re content to debate instead of actually doing anything.

So in an effort to make you feel slightly guilty and kick your ass into action, here is what I did the last few days (while sick mind you.)

I gave my umbrella to a woman carrying a child in heavy rain. Four people watched as she stood at the bus stop carrying a 4 month old little girl with nothing but a drenched blanket to cover them both. The bystanders all had large umbrellas and I was the only person who offered my dry bright red sanctuary. Seeing that she’d have to walk further, I gave her my umbrella to keep.

I donated a turkey to a hungry family for this Thanksgiving this weekend. I sent an f-ton of books and toys and video games to the Boston Children’s Hospital via Child’s Play, so that kids who may have to spend the holidays in a hospital bed will have something to do by themselves or with their families.

I donated money to a bake sale for the food share program in my community. I even played the word game that donates rice to under-developed countries for every word definition you correctly select.

No, I’m not saying these things because I want to be recognized for my selflessness, I’m basically saying this to make you go out and do something. In fact, why are you still reading this? Stave off an impending apocalypse of apathy by helping someone, planting something or being an overall generous person today.

Please, because between you and me, I’d rather not hear the sound of approaching hooves.