My short answer is no, we are not living in the End Times. However, the meaning of the end of time has always been one of interest to me. Is it referring to the end of humanity? nature? our world? Earth? Does this question in actuality just highlight our anthropocentric view of the planet we live on? These are the questions that have intrigued me throughout my studies and have been heightened through class discussion. Why I do not think that we are living in the End Times, I do think that the impacts of the coronavirus will alter the way we live. With less global production in almost every field of consumer goods, our planet has already experienced a dramatic decrease in the emissions that continue to destroy our environment. I hope that the positive impacts of this decrease do not go unnoticed. If there is any good that comes out of such an evil and unprecedented virus, I hope it is that we learn to better appreciate the nature around us that some of us are just now leaning on to get through our quarantined days.
When our class was first asked whether we thought we were living in the end, I said yes. I was definitely torn, but constant news of environmental disaster, political tension, and global conflicts had eroded my sense of hope for the world, and I felt like, hey, maybe this is the end.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged me and the world in unprecedented ways, I have actually become more sure than ever that this is *not* the end. I have been able to grasp more fully my place in history and understand that every generation has experienced something similarly life-changing. It just hadn’t happened to me yet. I’ve also found a renewed sense of hope as I’ve watched communities come together and as I’ve grown even closer with my own family during our many days inside together, and I can say with confidence that while this might be an end, it isn’t the end.