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1.24.11

Clash of the Titans

Remember when you could look up at the heavens and imagine what was there without having the burden of knowledge? Remember when certain mystical and supernatural beings existed just because? Remember when imagination was more important than knowledge? Yeah, me neither.

Being paranormally inclined puts a real damper on things seen versus things known. It's not enough to say you saw a light in the sky that didn't look like any conventional craft. You have to shoot it down, collect the wreckage, examine the bodies, kill all the witnesses, cover up the cover up and then cryogenically freeze yourself so you can keep a close vigil over all the other people involved, lest they decide to spill the beans.

In truth, mysteries are just a giant pain in the ass to solve. But they are the sole reason many of us wake up in the morning.

Somewhere in Ethiopia they say the Ark of the Covenant is sitting in a little church, being guarded by men who go blind with cataracts and then die two years later, only to be succeeded by another partially blind, doomed fellow who will guard its secrets.

In England a man claims he has the real Holy Grail... an ancient Roman Alabaster jar. In Italy, at Montesiepi can be found the Sword in the Stone, cast there by Saint Galgano. And what of such things like The Sphinx? Or the Great Pyramids? The credit goes to two Pharaohs... a father and son who took all the credit but is the glory theirs for the keeping?

Some of the biggest mysteries have been given unsatisfying resolutions that can neither be proven nor denied. It's all enough to make an adventurer pack it in. Maybe spend the remainder of his/her life looking for tangible things like Roaches in infested apartments and stolen cars in East L.A.,.

The latest mystery to lose its luster is also the most highly contested. The debate rages over whether or not the world will end in the year 2012. Actor Seth Rogen recently talked about how George Lucas tried to convince him of the doom to come in the final year of the Maya calendar. The History Channel makes killer ratings from shows discussing the End Of Days.

According to Mayan and Hopi legends (‘predictions' remains to be seen), a dwelling place in the heavens will fall to earth. For Ufologists that is a sure sign that we will see a repeat of Roswell, but of a far greater magnitude and with all the world watching.

Is the 2012 mythos our final mystery after we've tried to put all the others to rest, or is the fact that we have gone to great lengths to leave no mysteries for future generations a sure sign that the end is coming? For what is left if there are no dreamers? What have we to look forward to when their are no dreams to realize?

A world without mystery is a black and white world where everything is (as an iconic fictional figure of the unknown once said), “... categorized or easily referenced.” So, yes--- it could be said that the Cryptozoologist has his/her work cut out for them when they wade, knee deep in a jungle, in search of an elusive beast.

Yes, it may be a bitch for the occasional Ghost Hunter trying to obtain permission to spend a night in a famous, haunted joint. Hey, it may even be the annoyance to rival all annoyances for the Ufologist that has to try and capture proof that some random ranch, beach, neighborhood or desert is a haven for sightings.

But we all keep coming back. And for what? The mystery. The fact that there is still something unknown to ponder. The mystery of existence is why people dare to dream. It's why we've made it this far on the fumes of forgotten heroes, contested legends and confabulated myths. It's why we exist.

So take it or leave, but 2012 will be the next big topic until December 21st, 2012 rolls around. And if any of us are still here to laugh at the fact that we fell for it, wrote books about it, made movies about it or just plain joined the discussion about it, then hey--- at least we can all agree it helped us all keep the mystery alive.

It gave us all a reason to wake up in the morning.


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