Carpe Diem

Did you seize the day today? A more literal translation of carpe, according to Wiki-pedia is "harvest". So did you harvest what today has to offer? Each day comes with all sorts of different opportunities, both good and bad. What will you choose?

I was having a conversation with a friend the other day about how we live our lives - worrying about the small things, let other peoples actions influence our attitude, and generally just getting by day to day not really enjoying life. But what if we lived each day with our focus solely on that day and not on what is out of our control tomorrow or what is past? How would we treat people? What would we say? Better yet, what would we do?

I've met many people who aren't happy in their lives and they blame the world around them for their circumstances. And I've met others who live with their focus on that particular day or moment or person that they are with. Ask yourself, who would you rather hang out with? I know when I am around a person who has nothing but negativity surrounding them it brings me down real fast and affects me for the rest of the day. But when I am around those who have a love for life and what they are doing it makes even the darkest of days brighter.

What if we all took responsibility for our own actions, attitudes, and words - how would that change things? I personally am trying to live this way, and it's hard. No doubt about that. I have to remind myself each day that it's a good day and I'm going to have a good attitude and I'm going to do what is placed in front of me that day. And by doing this, I've noticed a difference in my life and in the lives of those around me. I've noticed that the people that I used to hang around who would do nothing but bring me down, aren't really around anymore. And those that impart good things into my life are around a whole lot more.

Seize the day! For those of you who haven't seen the movie Dead Poets Society, go rent it. It's a great movie. And when you are done with that one, go rent Life As A House. It will remind you how we should all live our lives.