Fear of a date

 December 21, 2012, a date that strikes fear in the heart of so many people, prepared and unprepared. There is a danger in being afraid of a date. Wanting to be self-sufficient is certainly a life style choice and one that shouldn't be taken up in the spirit of fear. When that date comes and goes, and nothing happens, then what?

Who said the world will end on 12-21-12? The archeologists? It certainly isn't the Mayan elders. Ten minutes online will tell you that. From my research, they say that the date marks an astrological event. Their prophecy of the changing of the world, the world ending as we currently know it, or the time of the new sun, is a time period that spans many years. Some say the end of which could even be as late as 2020. They prophecy a change of times, along with some upheaval, but one where humans come out for the better on the other end.



Regardless of the predictions of the Mayans, or the countless others, shouldn't we just live the way humans should live? Not out of fear of punishment from an angry God or fear of catastrophe. Though it is a good motivator ;-) I do feel more motivated to work faster because of the state of the world these days, but am excited about being alive during an event that only happens every 5,200 years.

We homestead because we don't want to be dependent, period. We live in the safest and most affordable place we can because we want to build something that will last and we'd like to be around to see our old age. The closer we get to self-sufficiency (and we are still a waaaaays off), the more freeing life becomes. When that date comes and goes, nothing changes for us.  We'll still keep working towards that goal. 

A big volcano could erupt, meteors could bombard the planet, an earthquake could swallow us up, or the poles could shift and all our preparations wouldn't matter. However, the freedom and security that comes from having food stored, productive gardens, not being financially obligated to anyone and a secure home covers many other scenarios. Much of that is still a dream for us, but we hold it, look at it and work towards it every day.  

California State Univ. Permaculture garden

Do I personally think there will be a major natural or governmental disaster in my lifetime? I have to say yes, but when - who knows? Meanwhile, lets just work towards being the best humans we can be, feed ourselves with good organic home grown (or traded) food that we store for winter and a rainy day, cause no harm, use only what we really need, take care of the land, and wisely take precautions to protect ourselves - but all with a spirit of community and hope for a better future for everyone. Even if one day we have to wade through dust together while it settles.