Carpe Diem
Carpe Diem is a phrase that many of us equate with the 1989 release of Dead Poets Society starring Robin Williams. Williams uses the phrase to inspire a group of young students and leads them on a journey that has the boys awaken to their true potential. While that is great and all you may be wondering what the relevance or significance is for that today?
I guess that all depends on your frame of mind. If you are content to float along, blissfully unaware of your own mortality, then the phrase is just something used as a motivation tool for young people. If, however, you consider the fates of people taken from this world far too early, then it may carry a much greater meaning. A co-worker of mine, one who started on the same day as me, tragically passed away in a car accident earlier this week. He was 27. Also consider the fate of Natasha Richardson, the wife of actor Liam Neeson, a 45 year old successful woman who tragically passed away after a minor fall on a beginner ski slope.
Carpe Diem, sieze the day.
Now re-consider the significance of the phrase. At the ripe age of 28 I’ve often taken for granted the idea that I’ll live a long and healthy life. I’m sure those that passed away unexpectedly this week shared that same sentiment, but there were other plans that kept that from coming true. Will that happen to me as well? Only God truly knows that, but how would you live your life differently if you knew you had 35 years on this earth versus 75?
Should the length of your stay change the way in which you live? I can’t say for sure, but my gut tells me the answer should be no. Whether you make it to 22 or 102, shouldn’t we be treating every day as a special and valuable time to embrace life and live it to it’s fullest? I think so.
Far too often we get caught up in the minor details of the world and forget what really is important. It’s so easy to lose sight of this when life is going well, but I think it’s something we should all consider on a regular basis.
Are you seizing the day?
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