"Carpe Diem - So What?"

This popular phrase is often translated into, as we know, 'seize the day'. But it's not the full phrase and so, as we will see later, perhaps it became foreshortened because the full phrase is less easy to live by. It is an easy act, a simple behavioural affirmation. It infers take chances, perhaps take risks. To some it might mean those risks are ill judged. For others it might mean giving in, or giving up. For a few it just might stimulate an expansion of their comfort zone. For others it might just get them moved beyond their comfort zone and into the unknown.

I have recently grown to have great regard for the writings of M.Scott Peck, particularly his classic 1980's piece, 'The Road Less Travelled'. Right the way through this, its sequels and related works, the authors stress that we all have choices in life. I get the feeling Scott Peck admonishes the majority of us that make up todays society for taking the easy choices route. Indeed his opening sentence is 'Life is difficult'.

So let's now think about seizing the day and what it might really take:
Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero – "Seize the Day, putting as little trust as possible in the future"

Here's the real point, or at least my feelings about the point. If we should put little trust in the future then perhaps today is the only opportunity we have. Even, at THIS moment we have the opportunity. Later today we may not have. It is the only opportunity to love, smile, be happy, be there, be with, to create, to care, to .....

Dale Carnegie in his book 'How to Stop Worrying and Start Living', Chapter 1, suggests we 'live in day tight compartments. The easy thing to say is - 'I will not let the emotional experience of one event impact on the next'. The difficult thing will be not to let that moment pass without getting the very most from it, especially if the most is for the entire benefit of others.

The road less travelled will be to love, smile, be happy, be there, be with, to create, to care, to .....
You can make up your mind what follows the dots ....

Have a wondrous Christmas and glorious New Year

David Pickering