Carpe Diem

Thoreau once intimated, and was quoted by Robin Williams, that we should "suck out all the marrow of life."

How raw, how graphic, how perfect

A day of your life comes along.

Most go through in a rote series of steps

Most focus on the steps behind them or focus on planning the steps ahead of them

Most don't notice the steps as their feet touch the ground

I take that day and try something new

I don't take steps, but dance in the moment

Each day should be valued for its uniqueness

Each day should be tasted for its flavor and texture

Each day demands to be acknowledged and recognized

Why

What's the point

What does it matter

Who cares

The easy answer is that yesterday has laid the road for today, but gone and cannot be changed

Tomorrow may be full of hope, but does not count until it is today

The easy answer is you may be hit by that proverbial truck and die and while waiting in line in Heaven you may have regretted so much you could have done in the present

The easy answer lies in what happens if tomorrow doesn't happen, live today, take today, enjoy today, experience today

The more tricky answer comes from deep inside, the part of you that you don't talk to as much as you should because that is the part that smacks you in the face and tells you how to get the most out of life but you are too lazy or scared or distracted to listen

This harder answer is spiritual, not practical. Anyone can realize you should do all the things on your bucket list before you kick the bucket so you can do them, that's practical

Spiritually, we need to love more, laugh more, taste more, feel more because we need to take the bone of life and suck in deeply, savoring the flavor enriched with spiritual nutrients and vitamins

Spiritually, if we want to explore our karmic possibilities, we have to grab today, throw it on the floor and demand, "What are you going to do for me TODAY???"

Spiritually, we have to ask ourselves, "What am I going to do for those I love today, oh yeah, and those I don't even know?"

Each day is a chance to make our lives better, fuller

Each day is a chance to forgive old sins and poor choices we have made

Each day is a chance to make a difference in the life of someone, a dear one or a stranger

Each day is a chance to make the world a more enhanced place by our actions, our words, our deeds

Each day is a chance be a stronger and more beautiful person

It is time

          to dance today

to be silly and goofy today

to laugh so hard you cry today

to hug and hug the people you love today

to take that risk today

to say that one sweet thing today

to walk in the rain today

to allow yourself to be happy today

Not because tomorrow may not come or yesterday is gone

but because your soul needs to be freed of the constraints of past and future

but because your heart needs to fly

but because your mind needs to fight the atrophy of regret and planning to meld right and left in an orgy of creativity

Carpe Diem, seize TODAY, suck all the marrow out of each bone of life, not next week, or next year, but NOW!

Carpe Diem, don't hold yourself back, don't fear or avoid

Carpe Diem, listen to the music loudly, let yourself cry and laugh to it, sing each word out loud, dance around the living room while you do it

Carpe Diem, embrace who you are and those who love you will love you more for it, disregard the rest, let them live in the past or the future while you live in the moment

Carpe Diem, Carpe Diem, Carpe Diem