Winter Solstice—Will the Earth Tip Over

Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year. It is when the earth is at its maximum tilt from the sun. Then, according to legend, it should reverse and begin tilting in the opposite direction. But what happens if it doesn’t?

Was this a concern of the ancient people who built Stonehenge? After all, they built Stonehenge to mark both the winter and summer solstice. It gave them an easy way to know if the earth had begun to tilt back or if they were about to be in a world of hurt.

Say what you want about ancient people, but it was a rough world back then. To survive, you had to be wise and consider all possibilities. Have we forgotten this ancient wisdom?

It is pure hubris that we ignore the knowledge of our elders. How often do we see children ignoring their parents’ advice, only to find themselves in hot water. Or young people in the workplace, not listening to their more senior colleagues and then making mistakes that could have been avoided. History repeats itself for a reason. It does so because we fail to learn the lessons of the past.

Do you say it’s impossible for the earth to tip over? Scientists believe it has happened before, around 84 million years ago. That makes it long overdue. Is this the year?

They call it the ‘cosmic yo-yo’. I’m glad they can be so lib when all hell is about to break loose. Will they make a cute little name when Greenland melts and floods the world’s coastal cities? Or when polar bears descend from the north and invade our cities, putting our children and pets at risk. Wait until Fluffy doesn’t come home, and a big old polar bear is sitting in your yard licking his lips. I bet they won’t be so casual about it, then.

Forgive me. I know I’m getting all riled up. But when faced with the end of civilization as we know it, I tend to get emotional. The best thing is to keep a cool head and go to the store and buy as much toilet paper as possible. Your supply from the pandemic must be running low.

Now I’m not saying this is going to happen. In fact, there is less than a 50/50 chance it will happen. But are you willing to bet your way of life on a coin flip? I think not.

The good news is that thousands of people travel to Stonehenge, located in England, every year to observe the solstice. And if there is one thing we know about the English, they stay calm in a crisis. So we can trust them to give us an unbiased, clear-headed report on what is happening. After all, when Hitler was trampling over Europe, Chamberlain very calmly told everyone not to worry, “peace in our time” and all that.

Hmm, Chamberlain, England, maybe we better have a backup plan. A second Stonehenge, one built in a different country. For all we know, the English may head to a pub afterward and never tell us the earth is about to tip over on its side. Then they will say, “Sorry old chap. We stopped for a pint and forgot about our cousins across the pond.” And think everything is square. Then they will probably play darts as the world descends into chaos.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the English, but their greatest strength, the ability to stay detached and calm, might be a weakness when the world is about to flop on its side. Maybe a little panic is called for.

Anyway, we will know soon. Here is hoping we make it another year before the Big Flop.