Sometime between 23 & 13 BC Roman poet Quintus Horatius Flaccus (Horace) wrote:
"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."
which translates to:
"Seize the Day, putting as little trust as possible in the future."
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| A December Everglades Sunset |
To live in the moment
This is why humans as a species are not evolving mentally; because we are not paying close enough attention to the knowledge left by our ancient ancestors. No school I ever went to taught me to calm down and live in the moment. All my teachers told me to hurry up and finish before the bell rang.
Notice the date of Horace's quote. That was a long ass time ago but it took me until 2012 to get it. I know you've heard that quote before. We all have. Just as we've heard its translation: Seize the day. So what does it mean to seize the day? It was not until I read the rest of the passage that its meaning clicked for me. Commitments, dates and deadlines will make it hard for me to live in the moment. It won't be easy. I can only try.
Here's a translation of the poem
Seize The Day
Don't seek, my friend, we cannot say
what end's in store for you, for me:
don't trust in vague astrology,
Better to shoulder what will be,
whether you soon will die, or stay
to watch the shore exhaust the sea.
So drink some wine while your hours flee,
put small trust in posterity,
and prune your hopes; but seize the day.
"Don't be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of."
Charles Richards
"Spend the afternoon. You can't take it with you."
Annie Dillard
"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."
Abraham Lincoln
"We cannot waste time. We can only waste ourselves."
George M. Adams
"There are many To-morrows, my Love, my Love, -
There is only one To-day."
Joaquin Miller
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Resources
Here is a wonderful link where you can read more works by Horace compiled by Project Gutenberg.
This link will take you to a great site by The Poet Seers where you can read more translated poems by Horace. If you have the time I highly recommend you read a few of the short poems. They are truly beautiful.