Passion and Purpose

I was just cleaning up files on my computer and stumbled upon this essay I wrote back in grade 10 for my school newspaper about my life's mantra - Carpe Diem.

Carpe Diem, Seize the Day

If there is one thing I strongly believe in, it is the old Latin saying "Carpe Diem". In plain English, this simple but powerful phrase means "seize the day". This temporal belief plays a very essential role in the way I try to live my life. I believe that I only live once, and that I might as well make the most out of my short life. This may be a pessimistic opinion in the minds of some people, but, in my eyes I see it as a very positive philosophy of life. I've decided that I am going to do something with my life, and make an impact on this world. I never want to be forgotten, because if I turn out to be just another statistic I would feel that I've accomplished nothing. There are the doers in life, who do something with their lives. Then, there are the watchers, who watch the doers do, and their lives end up flying right before their eyes. Then, there are those people who are always talking but not speaking; and hearing but not listening. They go through life blind, not taking the precious time to ever understand it. I don't want to be a watcher. I want to be able to say that I accomplished something in life.

Most of the time, I find my life passing me by like a runaway train, heading somewhere I don't know. For me, not having control scares the living daylights out of me. I have to take control of my life, before it gets too out of control. Yet, at the same time, I still have to let my life flow the way destiny tells it to go. For no matter what I do, destiny will always find me at the end of the road. Everyone has the same destiny, which is death. We are all going to die, but not all of us are truly going to live. I can't cheat death, but I can change what I'm going to do from this very moment, till the moment I leave this cynical world.

Setting goals is a major part of "Carpe Diem". That means being able and not being afraid to take chances. I can't be afraid to take risks, for if I do I might as well be dead. There are so many people who miss out in life because of their fear of what they'll lose. If I don't risk anything, I can't gain anything; and therefore I'll lose. Setting goals helps me get everything I can out of this condensed and precious life. They give us something to push for and seize. These goals have to be realistic and within reach, otherwise I will never be able to attain them. It's healthy to dream, yet most people don't dream. They just accept what life gives them. Dreaming means taking a risk, and I am willing to take that step. If I fail, I will listen to a very influential teaching I received from my basketball coach, "Lose till you win, and win till you lose". That means never stop striving and reaching for my goals. Everyone is bound to win sometime in their lives, if they?re willing to take a risk.

If there is a saying I will never forget, it is definitely "Carpe Diem". Hopefully, you will never forget the words too! Time and life are precious, so use them wisely. I say stop complaining about life and start living it. A person who is always complaining will never notice what they have, until they have eventually lost it. Life is ours to conquer and control, we should not be slaves to our own lives. I only have one question left for you. Why are you and I pondering about life, when we could be living life?