Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Into The Void: It's Not The Millennium

Let's face it, there's been way too much hype about the year 2000 and all it entails.

The simple truth is we aren't actually living in the year 2000 according to actual earth years. However, according to the Julian and Gregorian calendars, both basing year 1 as the date of Christ's birth, 1,999 years have passed.

But, in geological time, these calendars are so far off as to be a joke. And there are some cultures even now with calendars far in advance of 2000, such as the Chinese. Their calendars are a few thousand years ahead of the Y2K foolishness.

However, with man being man, a highly egotistical and incredibly stupid creature, the year 1 was selected as a starting point for the current times, based on the alleged time of Christ's birth.

Let's face it, people, no one has a clue about when Christ was actually born. Christmas, so recently passed, was picked as the date to celebrate the birth of Christ, because the church at the time was unable to quell pagan celebrations at the winter solstice. It was easier to incorporate the time period and change the reason then stop it altogether.

There are those who believe Christ was actually born in the spring or summer months, based on biblical text given concerning the time of his birth, but, this too, is irrelevant.

Time as we know it, is an artificial creation by man developed to tell us when we should be somewhere and when we should be getting things done. Again, there are cultures today with no words for past and future, yesterday or tomorrow.

In Zen Buddhism, students are taught there is only now, as the only time we are guaranteed is now. The Choctaw Indians also have no words to describe the past or future, but live in the now.

The problem with man is his need to control and regulate all he can, even when he can't.

By creating past and future, yesterday and tomorrow, we, as a species, try to control time, give it a nonsensical meaning and place boundaries on it, hence Y2K.

It would be beneficial to all people if only NOW was recognized. Then we wouldn't be worried about what happened yesterday, because there's nothing we can do about it. The same can be said about tomorrow.

After all, no matter how we may plot, plan and scheme, we don't know if we're going to make it through today. This isn't to say we should be stupid and live our lives recklessly, taking foolish chances and not preparing for possible future events.

It does, however, mean we should live each and every day as if it were our last. By doing so we would, therefore, treat one another with more kindness, courtesy and respect. Let's face it, only a real low-life wants to go out by being a jerk to others.

In summing up, let's quit taking "time", and ourselves, so seriously, relax, have fun, be kind and nice to others and ourselves, because, let's face it, none of us are getting out of this alive.