I could be completely wrong. Maybe this time is for real.

May 21 is predicted to be the end of the world. Christians tell us that Judgment Day is upon us.

Wow. Is that a buzz kill for a Saturday or what? Exactly what time should I put on my Outlook calendar? I do not want to be late. And I guess that means that I should cancel all upcoming appointments?

Let’s not forget that Judgment Day has come and gone a number of times before. Wasn’t there something written about a boy that cried wolf? Or am I just being a tad cynical?

It is all this focus on the negative that disturbs me. Over and over, we’ve been presented with countless potential “endings”. But somehow, through all of them, the world just keeps on spinning and people keep on waking up and drinking their Starbucks and heading off to work and coming home from work and dying of natural (and not-so-natural) causes. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Or - it could all end on May 21. Either way, let’s make a deal. I have a proposal.

If May 21 is indeed the Judgment Day, well then I guess there will be a lot of judgment going on. If I am in fact wrong, and the world turns itself inside-out, collapses, and implodes upon itself, then please feel free to come up to me in the afterlife (if there is one). Remind me of how wrong I really was (wouldn’t be the first time, and probably won’t be the last, afterlife or otherwise), give me a pat on the shoulder, a joyous “Good on ya, mate”, and head on your merry way. I guess I will have a long row to hoe in a rather warm place.

But - if May 21 is not, as they say, the end of the world as we know it (thanks to REM for providing the theme song for the Apocalypse), then let’s give May 22 a name. Let’s all decide that we’ve had enough of all this bad juju and let’s make a different kind of proclamation.

Let’s pick a different song (sorry, REM). As the Tragically Hip said in “Three Pistols” -

“I say, bring on the brand new renaissance cause I think I'm ready. I've been shaking all night long but my hands are steady".”

Sidebar: how often do you find a song written about Canadian artist Tom Thompson, a man that came to influence the legendary Group of Seven? Don’t worry, I know the answer to that one. That could have been in the original Trivial Pursuit.

Let’s call May 22 the “Brand New Renaissance”. Why not? As a global community, let’s start building towards something positive again. Forget the negative. Purge the system of reality TV and celebrity scandals. It’s time for Brand-New-Renaissance-kind-of-guy … like DaVinci, only with a Blackberry and a WiFi connection. Live it. Now. A free thinking society unfazed by apathy and social intolerance. All of that downer stuff really needs to go. The power of humanity can certainly create something far more optimistic and constructive. Let’s get on with it.

Bring on the Brand New Renaissance. I am ready. Are you?

Photo credits: abesselink