Contributor: Donal Mahoney

- -
Why be anxious?
Why worry?

If you believe
one day you will die,
what else matters?

Whatever catastrophe
occurs in your life,
it's one of many
that may occur.

If you don't believe
you will die, that's
another matter.

But if you know
you will die,
one reason
to be anxious
is whether
there's a heaven,
a hell or nothing.

If you believe
there's a heaven
but no hell,
why be anxious?
You're home free.

If you believe
there's a hell,
you know if you
have reason
to be anxious.

If you believe
there's nothing
after you die,
no reason to worry.
Covet your neighbor's
John Deere.

The bottom line?
If you die,
you'll wake up
some place nice
or not so nice.
Or you won't wake up.

Christopher Hitchens
knows for sure.


- - -
Donal Mahoney lives in St. Louis, Missouri.