Carpe Diem

KEATING Now, Mr… Pitts. That’s a rather unfortunate name. Mr. Pitts, where are you?

KEATING Mr. Pitts, would you open your hymnal to page 542 and read the first stanza of the poem you find there?

PITTS “To the virgins, to make much of time”?

KEATING Yes, that’s the one. Somewhat appropriate, isn’t it.

PITTS “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, old time is still a flying, and this same flower that smiles today, tomorrow will be dying.”

KEATING Thank you Mr. Pitts. “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.” The Latin term for that sentiment is Carpe Diem. Now who knows what that means?

MEEKS Carpe Diem. That’s “seize the day.”

KEATING Very good, Mr.-

MEEKS Meeks.

KEATING Meeks. Another unusual name. Seize the day. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. Why does the writer use these lines?

CHARLIE Because he’s in a hurry.

KEATING No, ding!

KEATING Thank you for playing anyway. Because we are food for worms lads. Because, believe it or not, each and every one of us in this room is one day going to stop breathing, turn cold, and die.

Carpe Diem.  Seize the day.  I think we all remember the scene from Dead Poets Society, But what does it mean to you?  What does it really mean to you?  Is it just a cool saying and a nice notion or is it something that is tangible and reachable for you to achieve.  Is your Carpe Diem a pipe dream?  Life is uncertain, but what if you knew there was a very high chance that your life was going to be cruelly cut short.  Would you jump on the Carpe Diem train and go for it with a sense of urgency or would you think, whats the point, its all going to be for nothing anyway.  Should any of this matter if you have been diagnosed with cancer or not?  I don't have the answers, but just some thought rolling around in my head tonight.

Is Carpe Diem saying "no" more often when your default setting is to say yes?

Is it getting that tattoo that you always wanted and then some because now that you have one you just can't stop?

Is it finally being able to stop masquerading and start being the real you?

Is it changing rooms, moving house, going on holidays, quitting your job and chasing your dreams?

Is it opening your mind to other possibilities, religions, faiths and beliefs and recognising that YOU are strong, determined and it is your strength that has carried you to where you are now. 

I say yes to all of the above.  In fact looking at the brief list above, between Karen and I, we have done just about all of these things in the last 18 months since Karens initial radiotherapy finished.  I am not sure why in a lot of cases it takes something so abhorrent  like cancer to get you to this point of realisation.  Carpe Diem.  

So coming up next month we are making some more changes.  We have decided that Karen will resign from her part time day job to fully commit to her own business, Karen's Cookie Jar.  In the last 18 short months, the demand for Karen's decorated iced biscuits has grown and grown.  It has gotten to a point where much to her displeasure she has had to turn business away because there is literally just not enough hours in the day to complete the orders.  The art of decorated cookies started out for Karen as  a passion, shared with family and a few friends.  It is now more far reaching than that with cookies being ordered and sent to all parts of Australia and also overseas.

So it is really exciting and also scary to be doing away with the safety net of her current job, but like Karen said, "I can't very well have Carpe Diem tattooed on my wrist and then when the opportunity arises not seize the day!"   And what of my dreams?  Well my dreams are to see Karen achieve her dreams and "Carpe the Diem" out of these cookies.  If I can ride on the coat tales of her dreams, then my dreams are fulfilled seeing Karen happy and passionately reaching hers.  Carpe Diem!!