If you’re reading this then there’s a good chance the apocolyptic hype has fallen flat.

Today – 12.21.12 – is being heralded by some as the end of the world as we know it, thanks to a calendar created thousands of years ago by the ancient Mayans.

And while calmer heads like scientists at NASA and religious leaders remind the public that the date has no apocolyptic meaning, we’ve all watched in recent months as anticipation built.

From the New Agers who flocked to the ancient Mayan sites to the Doomsday Preppers whose penchant for preparedness sparked a new reality TV series, the coming crisis has been fodder for everything from social commentary to reglious ferver.

Now, if reason holds true and today passes much like any other winter solstice, we’ll find ourselves waking up Saturday morning, Dec. 22, anticipating the celebration of Christmas – as Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ more than 2000 years ago.

And we’ll be staring down the all-too-real concerns of modern life, from the issues of gun control and mental health treatment issues sparked by last week’s massacre in Connecticut to the fiscal cliff that looms just weeks away and threatens our economic recovery.

These pressing concerns deserve our nation’s attention and imagination, moreso than a flawed interpretation of a centuries-old calendar.

We hope once the hype passes, we can focus on what’s real – and what’s really important.