--- title: Impending Doom or Joyful Anticipation? description: Tami Urcia ponders the freedom that comes with contemplating the time when she will be in God's loving presence forever. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/impending-doom-f.png --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2019/05/03/impending-doom-or-joyful-anticipation/#) # Impending Doom or Joyful Anticipation? May 3, 2019 3:30:30 PM  |  by [Tami Urcia](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/tami-urcia) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/impending-doom-f.png) [!["Impending doom or joyful anticipation?" by Tami Urcia (CatholicMom.com)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/impending-doom.png)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/impending-doom.png) Image credit: [Pixabay.com](https://pixabay.com/images/id-3856796/) (2014), CC0/PD[/caption] I’ve often thought I might write a book someday entitled *The Perils of the Highway *or, perhaps more appropriately, *Death by 131 *(the main interstate that runs through my hometown)*. *Every day I come face to face with my near demise as one individual or another practices unsafe driving. The large F350s who weave in and out of traffic, thinking they own the road and that everyone will simply get out of their way because of their size. The one who thinks it’s crafty to pass in a right-hand off-ramp and swerve back into traffic. Those who jump into the right lane just as they come upon an on-ramp where a car or two should have been able merge on. The left-lane speeder who refuses to let another driver in, causing them to lunge back into the center lane, barely avoiding a collision; those who slam on their brakes right in front of you without using a turn signal; and the list goes on … Perhaps it’s a morbid thought, especially during this time of Easter celebration, but death is imminent all around us. An accident could happen at any moment, something completely out of our control. During this past week, two of my coworkers have lost their fathers and a mother of 10 children became a widow. In my grief I grope for answers. What happened? How could this be? What are they going to do now? We truly never know what the next minute will bring. Now, this realization can either bring us paranoia, fear, anxiety, the desire to control, and an unhealthy mental state, or complete freedom. I can rest in the knowledge that God knows and I do not, that He has me in the palm of His hand at each moment, that He is aware of the exact second I will take my last breath and will be there to comfort those I leave behind. So instead of wondering if today’s drive home will be my last, I can live with joyful anticipation and expectant waiting of that glorious day when at long last I will be in Christ’s loving presence forever. --- *Copyright 2019 Tami Urcia* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2019%2F05%2F03%2Fimpending-doom-or-joyful-anticipation%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2019%2F05%2F03%2Fimpending-doom-or-joyful-anticipation%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2019%2F05%2F03%2Fimpending-doom-or-joyful-anticipation%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Impending%20Doom%20or%20Joyful%20Anticipation%3F) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2019%2F05%2F03%2Fimpending-doom-or-joyful-anticipation%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2019%2F05%2F03%2Fimpending-doom-or-joyful-anticipation%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Tami Urcia](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/Contriubutors/TAMI%20URCIA.jpeg) ### [Tami Urcia](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/tami-urcia) Tami is a Western Michigander who spent early adulthood as a missionary in Mexico, studying theology and philosophy, then worked and traveled extensively before finishing her bachelor’s degree in Western Kentucky. She loves finding fun ways to keep her five kiddos occupied and quiet conversation with the hubby. Tami works at Diocesan and does Spanish/English translations and guest blogs. ## Related Blog Articles [ Impending Doom or Joyful Anticipation? Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2020/01/03/impending-doom-or-joyful-anticipation-2/) [ The Song that Never Ends Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2019/10/04/the-song-that-never-ends/) [ How Beautiful is the Originator of It All! Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2019/12/06/how-beautiful-is-the-originator-of-it-all/) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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