Image Credit: SUBMITTED

OPINION

My column showing up today means that the powers that will be were right, and asteroid 2010 WC9 passed by the Earth instead of crashing into us.

Gauged to be the size of a blue whale, or the Statue of Liberty (depending on which news site you clicked on), the asteroid was not visible to the naked eye from here on earth, and was approximately half the distance to the moon away.

When I read about the asteroid, I had visions of Bruce Willis in Armageddon, and a team of rough-around-the-edges drillers, heading up to space to save the world from total destruction.

And of course, even with the fate of the planet at stake, Hollywood still managed to push in a love story between Liv Tyler and Ben Afleck’s characters — complete with a strange animal cracker scene and not a dry eye in the house.

Okay, well the movie makes ME cry every time.

But back to the asteroid.

Although it drifted off into the distance, it was a good reminder that we are not the be all end all.

In the blink of an eye, we could be blasted from our brick homes and find ourselves rebuilding our civilization from scratch.

And if I’m being honest, the mistrustful side of me is pretty sure we wouldn't receive ANY kind of notification of an asteroid headed right for us.

Why would ‘they’ inform us of when and where it would hit, thus creating a Independence Day-like chaos — streets filled people in total disarray, taking refuge in bomb shelters and at military bases. 

Just one day we will be here and the next day we won’t.

So it got me thinking…What would a perfect last day look like?

Now I’m not trying to make this depressing — there’s enough sadness in the world — but if you think about it in a positive way, what would that day look like?

And I know many people say things like, “Live each day as if it were your last,” and every second musical artist has a song about living life to the fullest, but it’s not always productive.

If we all quit our jobs today, told everyone we didn’t care for off, and ate ice cream to our hearts content, it would make for a really awkward next day.

But we can take baby steps and remind ourselves this is it, and if death is inevitable, we better take our chances in life when we can.

So…back to that last day.

I don’t need to spend my final day skydiving, or in Vegas, or on an African Safari (although I wouldn’t necessarily turn it down).

All of my family would be there and friends, and we would spend the night camping out under the stars with s’mores, blankets by the fire and a guitar.

Which to me signifies I should be taking advantage of the long weekend in this beautiful area of B.C. I call home — I am LUCKY enough to call home. 

And so although a part of me was holding my breathe just slightly when I read about asteroid 2010 WC9, we are still here and I still have the pleasure of planning what I would do on that important last day.

— Becky Mann is a 30-something, red haired, mother of two, trying to navigate this life as best she can. She enjoys talking to people and discovering their stories. Still trying to balance her personal and professional life, she juggles work and play. In her spare time Becky can be found visiting with friends, spending time with her family and saving time by reading while walking. She knows there is so much more to come and is looking forward to the continued adventure.

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