As I moved from my morning quiet time to set the course for my day the phrase carpe diem came to mind. What comes to mind when you hear the words carpe diem? Today, like no other time in history we take the words already part of our language and create new meanings. Your reflection on the phrase carpe diem or even your familiarity with the word is related to your exposure to the phrase.

If your exposure is more from an academic source you probably take it to mean seize the day. If your exposure is less formal you may connect more with the definition YOLO or “you only live once”. Maybe you even have both meanings captured in your mental library.

YOLO

The YOLO concept suggests you may as well do, see, taste, partake of, experience or indulge now because you only have one life and you may as well do “it” now because tomorrow you may be gone. Perhaps it also suggests that living, truly living means hedonistic practices are the highest and best form of living.

What happens when we take our most self-indulgent, pleasure-seeking behaviors and allow them to dominate our schedules, to-do lists and plans?

One would probably overindulge in everything connected with our five senses. That would certainly include eating and drinking to excess. Watching television, playing games, sleeping, partying or whatever could be put on the list of pleasurable things to do, taken to the territory of excess.  If we were only to do those things what would be the point?

Indeed, self-indulgent behavior is not the reason we were created.

Those that have unlimited bank accounts, no spending limits and the ability to choose to  pleasure themselves 24/7 are not fulfilled by those behaviors. If that were the case those able to live the lifestyles of the rich and famous would have no, I repeat no problems. Their lives would be full of happiness and joy. We only need to look at the Internet, news or hear the latest hot topics on one of the television magazine shows to see some of the reported problems, which adorn those with total ability to make such choices.

Therefore living life driven by the idea of YOLO, so indulge your desires to pleasure yourself today because you are not sure about tomorrow, is apparently not the path to the best life.

Carpe Diem

The quote originally came from an extended Latin phrase first translated into an English publication in 1830. The phrase is “Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero,” which roughly translates to “Seize the day, trusting as little as possible in the future.”

The original quote was not about ignoring the future. It was more about doing the work that is before you today to create the best future. Making the most of the time we have each day with the understanding that our time here is short.  Since the finite number of our days is unknown to us, instead of serving self solely what would happen if we worked each day to improve the future according to the will of our Creator and His purpose for our lives?

Where is your trust, what do you believe?

Our actions show what we believe. How do you live your life? How do you identify the best life for you? How are you going to seize your days? You are aware you make the choice, right?

The blessing is we get to choose and the challenge is we get to choose. Once we make the choice we then have to walk it out ourselves. It does not matter how your life began, with a happy family and a silver spoon in your mouth, or abandoned (emotionally and literally) by parents ill-equipped to give you a good start. You have life and you have choice. Along with that choice comes the responsibility to make the best of the life that you have.

My mother would often say, “Every tub sits on its own bottom.” I take that to be her translation of Romans 14: 11-12 , which talks about everyone giving an account to God. He knows what He has shared with you about His will for your life. He knows what you know about Him and how you have been empowered to use that knowledge. You and I have been provided with everything we need to make informed choices and live our best life.

Carpe Diem! Take Inventory and Take Action!

Love,

Deborah

“Lighting the path to loving your neighbor as yourself.”

P.S. This past Thursday, January 16th I was on live with the incomparable Mother Love! Follow this link to listen on demand. (Click on 62 minutes, to hear the hour I spent on the show.) I enjoyed sharing another hour with Mother Love again!