Personal Judgement Day

By: Stephanie Benney

If you are reading my article at this point in time, then Harold Camping was wrong once again.  The world did not end.  He infamously incorrectly predicted the end of the world in 1994.  Well, that was the year of my high school graduation and I am still here.

There has been an increased interest and anxiety regarding the end of the world being Saturday, May 21, 2011.  If you explored the topic on the internet,  you were most likely overwhelmed  by the myriad of websites embedded with banner signs and pictures proclaiming, “Christ Returns” “Judgement Day” and “The Rapture”.

Regardless of your religious, personal and spiritual beliefs, there is one truth.  Our own little, individual “worlds” will inevitably come to an end.  Many look at death as a finish, while others choose to view it as a transition into a higher level of consciousness.  Human beings, for the most part, do not have the capability of knowing what happens to us after our lives come to an Earthly end.  However, it is a chronic and extremely layered topic of conversation and inquisition.

I have always been fascinated by the topics of death, crossing over, the spirit world and the opinions and perspectives of other human beings regarding these subjects.  So naturally, I had been researching this latest global “threat”.  While I personally did not believe we would experience “The Rapture” on Saturday, it certainly made me reevaluate some things in my life and sprung some questions to mind.  “How am I going to make my life REALLY count?”  “What will I chose as my legacy?”  “How can I enrich and touch the lives of even perfect strangers, not to mention friends and family?”  I guess you could say I had my own personal “Judgement Day”.

It is not unusual to drive down the streets of Pittsburgh, hearing the constant symphony of car horns and people screaming at each other.  Let’s not forget the universal sign of the middle finger.  Now, I am definitely not a Pollyanna, but this behavior is rooted from disrespect.  I understand that we will never live in a perfect world and there are always going to be people who share this planet with us who are full of hate and anger.  Instead of concentrating on these few “rotten eggs”, let’s retaliate with words of love and acts of kindness.

About 2 years ago, there was a new, mysterious presence in Pittsburgh.  This person dubbed herself as “Secret Agent”.  Her soul purpose and goal was to do nothing but random acts of kindness  and love for total strangers.  This viral marketing campaign of charity became quite the buzz in the non-profit world.  She finally revealed her identity last year and has now gone global with her movement of peace and love.  She inspires me everyday to be a better woman to those around me.

We can always learn from someone in life, directly or indirectly.  I can only hope that I have inspired some of you to give a smile and a buck to the homeless person on the corner and say a prayer that they find their way, volunteer your time to a non-profit or cause, or think the next time you want to yell obscenities at the person who cut you off in traffic.  Ask yourself if you want to be part of the development or demise of our world.  I am asking you from my heart to spread love.

Stephanie Benney is a “Sustainable Visionary” and also the new Pittsburgh Representative for Fuzed Marketing, where she helps companies increase their brand presence. stephaniebenney@yahoo.com