Flashback After the Emergency Alert

 After the alert on my phone on November 19, 2025, I suddenly had a flashback. I remembered a quiet, early summer morning somewhere in Europe — South Hungary, not far from the country’s only nuclear power station.

Every month, the siren drills happened around lunchtime, but that morning the solemn, eerie sound filled the air. My first thought was: “Just a mistake.” But it didn’t stop. It went on far too long to be just a mistake.

Panic set in. The South Slav war… had they attacked Hungary? Did they bomb the power station? I did what we were always told in case of a siren: I turned on the radio and listened carefully.

Meanwhile, my mother — who always loved a bit of drama — pulled my child out of bed, shouting: “You must get dressed — we have to flee!”

Flee? I thought. Where to? The silence from the radio about the situation was grim. Surely something serious had happened… would we all be sick and dying from radiation-induced cancer soon? Would there be enough painkillers for everyone, or only for the privileged?

After about half an hour, finally there was a public announcement: no emergency — it was just a mistake.

Even so, it was hard to believe they could not switch off the siren for so long. That day stayed with me. And now, hearing the alert in 2025, all those old fears came rushing back — a vivid reminder of how suddenly life can feel out of control.

Doomsdays in our Life

I remember a cold November day in 1999 in Hungary .My friend came to see me and she was anxiously talking about the end of the world in 2000 .She was so much worried and I tried to see her point of view . I tried to explain her two things:
1. If the world really comes to its end then there is not much we can do  -useless to worry
2.Calendars are made by humans  - this 2000 is a nice number but it is  totally different in other cultures

 The sad truth is that the  world would go on as it is . And we have to figure out and fight for a  better one .The sad truth  is that the world will not change  -we will be exploited like before /we will have to worry about keeping our badly paid jobs .

Sometimes I feel that people wish in secret the end . That would solve many things -they think.

My mum told me that  in 1959 there was an end of the world panic among villagers as well . The catholic church was the main source of this scare . Some priests even declared that the church service they hold is the last one ...

No wonder that it is coming from them  - they are expert in it . Keeping the masses in fear during  centuries .
Other  fear mongers  are the media who can exploit people's ignorance  very easily .
Other "doomsday" I can remember was the solar eclipse in Hungary . I went out to the nature to witness it in its  full beauty .I saw the sky turning into dark  violet - then the  sun and the moon covering and the  "diamond ring" shape  then I saw the moon so close and so much detailed  that I could imagine that only in films . It was a spiritually uplifting experience .A great thing  -when I returned to our town then I was shocked that some people were crying that it was the sign of the end of the world .I just felt sorry for them ...

Have a Happy December 21 !