Carpe Diem

            
             "Yesterday is our past - tomorrow is our future - but today is a gift that's why it's called the present." It's a gift! Right now, right this second, just look around - you have been given the gift of life today. But have you ever thought about the fact that you may not be so blessed tomorrow? Our future in this world is not guaranteed, therefore make the most out of today. There was a theme widely used in the 16th and 17th century that urged people to do just that: carpe diem. I would like to share with you this evening some facts on carpe diem, including its meaning, history, and some examples of applying the phrase.
             Carpe diem is from the Latin phrase "seize the day." It is a descriptive term for literature that urges readers to live for the moment. Encyclopedia.com gave us this definition, but it has a much deeper meaning. It means that one should take advantage of opportunities with wisdom and care. It means that when you get the chance to do something crazy - do it! Ok - so think of the one thing you want in life. Now, make that into one word, just one word. At the same time lets all scream that one word that you dream of. 1, 2, 3 .! It's understanding what we can do - the very best we can do. It's being ruthless, being resourceful, and being happy. There are many ways we can personally define the phrase carpe diem, but where exactly did it come from?.
             Love poetry from the 16th and 17th century started the phrase carpe diem. One professor from the University of Arkansas's reviews carpe diem's history on the school's website. The phrase itself turns out to be from a poem by Horace, a great lyric poet who had studied in Rome and Athens. However, it is best exemplified by a familiar stanza from Robert Herrick's "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time": Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old time is still a-flying; And this same flower that smiles today, tomorrow will be dying.