Carpe Diem Revisited

A caricature I saw recently depicted these big, fat gluttons, each with a big ol' turkey leg in one hand and a big ol' glass in the other—obviously obese people. They were smiling… and you know how those people have legs that don't even look normal because their bodies are so big? I looked at it and thought, "Carpe Diem, seize the day!"

I looked at it and thought, "That's gluttony." Now, I realize it's a caricature, but it applies to life. They think that they're having the most fun possible… but I see gluttony, which is one of the 7 deadly sins, “Oh, my!”

But I'm not even talking about sinning. And I’m not spoofing it, either. I'm talking about lowering the quality of your life and living only for yourself. Obviously, with the gluttonous style of life you can die younger, too.

Seize the day, however, means to recognize the value of the moments that you have. If you can paint a picture today, then paint that picture today—you don't know that you'll have tomorrow. Live now. Carpe diem. Do what you can to make the world a better place today. Live with discipline, live the examined life, and that way you'll find everything is better.

And you'll look back, at the end of your days, on a life of fulfillment—not a life of gluttony, selfishness, and waste.