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The End of the World…

December 12, 2011 By 30 Comments

I'm pretty sure Vienna would still do this if the world was ending tomorrow. What a kiddo.

…is ONE YEAR from today! If that doesn’t get your nonconformist heart pumping, then I’m pretty sure the 1492-era Mayans don’t know what will.

Sar and I were chatting last night with Alana and Josh Mokma (during which time we hatched some wonderful, wonderful ideas, btw) and Alana pointed that the ancient Mayans predicted the demise of our fair world to be 12/12/2012 – one year from today. (editors note: the Mayans actually predicted an apocalypse, and the end of our World Age… whatever that means)

I immediately thought, What if the world actually ended one year from today? How insane would that be? The four of us immediately agreed we’d definitely live our lives differently… which, now that I think about it – is pretty darn revealing.

We’d start making plans to move to Europe… ’cause we’ve always wanted to do that. And I’d try REALLY hard to meet some of y’all in person… I’m looking at you Nina and Ian, Justin and Christine, Alana and Josh, Andy and Sara, Kevin and Terri  Teri Michael and Claudia, and… (crap! I’m totally offending people who I’m not mentioning by name! Like Kevin and Niki. And Ivan and Skye.) well, there are a lot of you. I’d probably start learning some bad-ass things… like lumber-jacking. Or street-fighting (really? Street fighting?). Or wilderness survival stuff…

If you knew for certain that the world would end 365 days from today, how would you change your life?

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  • http://www.roccocapra.com/ Rocco Capra

    Move to Colorado and live in the
    Mountains!

    • http://www.thenonconformistfamily.com Joshua Gordon

      Great! Now… why can’t you do that now? And yes, I’m turning that question in on myself…

      And I’m uncomfortable.

      • http://www.roccocapra.com/ Rocco Capra

        Headed that way ;)

    • http://rise365.com Michael Good

      Another for Colorado. Nice, Rocco!

  • http://wheretigerswill.wordpress.com Will Laohoo

    I’m glad to say that I’m probably doing a good amount of what I’d want to be doing :) . Probably be a little more fearless, though, and ship faster.

    • http://www.thenonconformistfamily.com Joshua Gordon

      Will. Some words for you:

      Be fearless!

      Ship faster!

      - Josh

    • Anonymous

      I think we all could be more fearless and ship faster. 
      Will, you’ve got a good thing going. Keep it up!

  • Anonymous

    I’ve done a good job at saying that I’ll do this later
    or i’ll get to this someday.
    but someday doesn’t exist. The only thing that does is what’s happening right now.
    it’s time to do the things I’ve always wanted. 

  • http://www.ontargetcoach.com Brent Pittman

    Well, if I knew for sure that the world would be ending, I’d be spending up our emergency fund and ‘retirement’ (I hate that word) funds. Traveling more and of course blogging about the end of the world! 

  • Bremarie

    Tell everyone I meet about the unbelievable, life-changing power of Jesus Christ’s transforming love! And, yes, I should be doing that already…I know!

  • http://twitter.com/noknow Nicholas Datema

    Cool site here. A page like this makes me smile because if we knew the world were to end exactly a year from today I don’t know that I’d change much at all. That feels pretty good. The more I’m able to do Sadhana (a fancy word for service) the more in tune I am with a higher path.  As “I” also work to make a physical product I can enjoy the development process and all of it’s successes without getting too bent out of shape over it’s failures. I’m learning from those too.  Also part of Sadhana.  What seems to resonate with me a lot lately, pehaps due to experiencing palliative & hospice care, is a DaVinci quote: “While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die.”

    • http://www.thenonconformistfamily.com Joshua Gordon

      Great stuff, Nicholas. I wikipedia’d ‘Sadhana’ and it looks very interesting! I appreciate how true spirituality is deeply woven into the practicality of our lives. Whether that’s providing a service to businesses that need, pushing through failure, or volunteering in a palliative care – we’re all called to be part of a larger Story. 

       If DaVinci is right – and I think he is - as we live to our fullest we’re writing an incredible closing chapter to our life.

      Great thoughts, dude!

  • Dr. David Powers

    I’m totally offended you didn’t mention me by name, but I’d be glad to teach you some street-fighting skills.

    • http://www.thenonconformistfamily.com Joshua Gordon

      That’d be awesome. You’re one of the only people I know who combine scary and amazing so well. If I show up in SC, you OWE me street fighting lessons. And I might actually do it.

      • http://www.writerviews.com Michael Alexis

        I hope you’ve disclosed your expertise in GCVI bear cage wrestling.

        –
        Michael

    • http://www.thenonconformistfamily.com Joshua Gordon

      And your beard is bad ass.

  • Dr. David Powers

    I’m totally offended you didn’t mention me by name, but I’d be glad to teach you some street-fighting skills.

  • Sarah

    Two words:

    1. Whatever would you not come visit the wutang clan? We are ridiculously full of awesome AND we live in Colorado.

    2. It is much better to live on the front range than actually in the Rockies.

    • http://rise365.com Michael Good

      Colorado would be in it for me too, Sarah!

    • Anonymous

      We will visit you :)  

  • http://rise365.com Michael Good

    Josh, 
    I’d think and dream bigger. Also, live my own damn life and not someone else’s! (I am implementing these, btw).

  • Anonymous

    Okay, so I’m a little embarrassed. I had my day off. I guess it is 12-21-2012. ANYWAY, when I saw you actually posted about this topic I got a HUGE smile on my face! and crap, I have a lot to do this year! 

    For starters:
    - dance on a stage in front of a 2,000 person crowd
    - live in Denver
    - visit friends in LA
    - start a family and have a babay with my husband
    - directly help at least 10 others find the work they love and inspire thousands more
    - meet the freaking nonconformist family!
    - and so much more. 

    This is eye opening because I had to fight to find some of the things I wanted to do. 

    • http://www.writerviews.com Michael Alexis

      I think this is my favourite comment on a blog ever. Mostly because meeting the freaking nonconformist family! is included in a list of goals for the year.

      Anyways, let’s all pursue eternity – and maybe our ever-more-fragile Earth can do her part too.–Michael

  • Chris Sutton

    Wow, I waxed a bit philosophical when I read your blog Josh.

    My first thought was that if EVERYONE knew that the world was ending then very little work would be getting done. That could make life a bit hard.

    Then I thought of how many freaked out people there would be and I would try to offer some comfort, hopefully share comfort from Christ and assist in anyway I could.

    OH and move to Colorado. (Just had to keep the theme going.)

  • http://www.StumblingAroundInTheLight.com Teri Miller

     Dang, I made the list!!!  I’ll forgive you for misspelling my name…
    (and if you think the one ‘r’ is non-conformist – it gets even weirder – my real name is ‘Terissa’ – pronounced with a short ‘i’ sound, instead of like ‘Tereeesa’)

    ANYway.

    So – the world ends in one year.  Hmmm…super interesting thought.
    I just might copycat you & blog about this too.

    ‘Cause the first thought that came to me –
    I’d quit wasting SO MUCH TIME on home school lessons for my kids.
    (yikes; gives me some insight on how little I value the stupid crap we’re ‘supposed’ to be teaching them)

    Instead, I’d spend that time loving them, teaching & sharing & inspiring them with God’s Word, enjoying the glory of the outdoors.
    I’d teach the children about seeking the Presence of God, about sharing His love & truth & peace.
    I’d quit fretting about finishing my house, and ditch the financial worries.
    I’d give SO much away – time, love, encouragement, energy, stuff…
    I’d love Kevin with every ounce of my body, heart, mind, and soul – and let go of all the petty irritations that put walls between us.

    Time to shut the computer and go start doin’ that stuff…

  • http://www.writerviews.com Michael Alexis

    Move to Europe.

    Victory!–Michael

  • http://www.kevingainey.com Kevin Gainey

    I’d start by meeting the nonconformist family, despite not making their list. Like Michael Good, I’d do more of living my own damn life and not someone else’s. I’d help as many people as I could learn to be present in their daily lives and live with intention. I’d empty out my 401k. And for just one day I’d walk around with a sandwich board that says “The World Is Ending!”

  • http://rise365.com Claudia Good

    So, Michael said Colorado, but what he REALLY meant was Colorado for a couple weeks, then plant ourselves in Sardinia!!!! right hun?! ;)

    I would:
    Learn Italian and live in Sardinia 
    Hold my baby all the time
    Drink ice cold mountain water
    Sell our house and all our stupid stuff
    Ride horses every day
    Make my own pasta
    Go to Switzerland
    Collect wild honey
    Have a heard of goats
    eat lots of dark chocolate
    Have my own Jersey cow
    make sauerkraut
    Re-kindle a friendship
    Cherish every day with my love
    frame my paintings
    Earn 2 million dollars
    Give 1 million dollars away
    Learn to play the cello
    Grind my own flour and make my own bread everyday
    Make icecream

    Thanks Josh! great post!

  • http://www.flurrycreations.com/theblog John Bergquist

    “ lumber-jacking. Or street-fighting (really? Street fighting?). Or wilderness survival stuff…” I am holding you too all of those my friend.  
    I would have many more dinners with close friends, stop to share a drink over good conversation and write more (which seems silly with the world ending, lol).

  • http://www.abetterwayofbusiness.com/ Ivan Bickett

    So I was listening to the radio today and a song came on about how would you live if you knew the world would end. And I got to thinking about this post and the what would you do if you had a year left.

    Well for me I went through a mental exercise of adjusting the time frame. One year is far enough away I could keep doing the same thing for period. And if it was going to end tomorrow it’d be too soon.

    So I settled for six months. What would I do if I knew the world was going to end in six months. It’s far enough away that I would need to change some things and soon enough to make me think I need to act now.

    My answer? I don’t know. But some things would need to be differently.

    I’ll be talking about this more in the future. I’ll let you know.

    ~Ivan