When someone hears the term “carpe diem”, it can sound like a cliche and it is often accompanied by a rolling of eyes. I remember hearing it at different points in my life and doing just that. For example, when I was first told in my 10th grade English class that we would be studying carpe diem, I let out an audible sigh. I thought to myself, “What’s the point of learning about this if I already know?” I thought this because the phrase was used so often that I thought I didn’t have anything new to learn. In my mind, it was just a cliche that I had heard by whole life that was about seizing the day and living extraordinarily. Looking back, I realize I actually didn’t understand the true meaning of the phrase. But what really is the true essence of carpe diem? And does it even have a purpose in modern times? Before one can determine whether or not carpe diem has a purpose, carpe diem needs to be defined. Is it living life extravagantly or being grateful for the simple things in life? Video creator John Spencer gave his perspective on this in his video What if the small life is actually the Epic Life. He suggested that carpe diem is about appreciating the small moments of life that give a person joy. A person does not need to do extreme and risky things in order to seize the day. Seizing the day can be a ordinary as being grateful for spending time with the ones you love and sharing experiences with them. As he explains, the “epic life” is formed by the small details of our lives more than the large ones. From personal experience, Spencer has realized that carpe diem comes from being grateful for the small moments that give us joy. In addition, Billy Collins, a poet, gave a similar perspective. When talking to students at a college he spoke to them about carpe diem. In his speech he states,“And the corollary to carpe diem- a vein that runs deeply through the rock of poetry- is gratitude, gratitude for simply being alive, for having a day to seize”(Collins). He goes on to say how we also need to be grateful for the beauty of the world and nature (Collins).This explains how carpe diem can even be on a smaller scale. People can be fulfilled knowing that they are alive and recognizing the beauty around them. This also proves how we can seize the day by simply being grateful for what is constantly around us and occurring. We can be grateful for the everyday events and don’t need live recklessly in order to seize the day. In spite of the numerous people who share that viewpoint, many believe that carpe diem is based on the big events of your life and taking risks. How can we live our lives to the fullest if we don’t take risks and take chances? Some claim that by taking risks we open ourselves to opportunities and experiences that we might not have experienced before and therefore are making better use of the day. On the other hand, how much risk-taking is too much? This is addressed in the movie Dead Poets Society by the character John Keating. He was the teacher of the students and often referenced carpe diem when teaching. In one scene, Keating warns his students, “Sucking on the marrow of life doesn’t mean choking on the bone” (Dead Poets Society, 1989). To explain, Keating is suggesting that taking too large of risks is not a part of carpe diem. Eventually, a risk too large can be too dangerous and will no longer be part of seizing the day. It would just be considered reckless. Perhaps carpe diem could be a mix of playing it safe and taking risks. It could be up to each individual’s preferences. One can decide for themselves what carpe diem means and how they want to follow it. It is possible that there is no standard for seizing the day and it is all subjective.
Carpe diem can have a positive impact on a person. By simply being grateful for what we have and our everyday experiences, we can learn to seize the time that we have. Even though the phrase itself it a cliche, the message behind it stands true. Seizing the day can make the time we have more meaningful as we learn to appreciate the many aspects and experiences in our lives.
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April 2017
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