Carpe Diem...with Caution

My graduation speech, one of four speeches based around the Emerson quote "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." I think it sounds better as a speech than looking at it on here, so maybe I'll put up the video some day. (June 2006)

     “Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.”

     These are the words of Professor John Keating, inspirational English teacher played by Robin Williams in the movie Dead Poets Society. I saw this movie for the first time during January of this year, courtesy of Ms. Hoy in Advanced Seminar. Though the movie was made in 1989 -- so it’s almost as old as we are -- its message remains as pertinent today as it did then, and in the 1950s in which it is set. The message of carpe diem is especially important on this day of commencement as we step out into the “real world.” Whether you are pursuing a degree in higher education, establishing yourself in the workforce, or putting down roots and starting a family, properly adopting this ageless mantra could significantly change your perspective on life.

     Carpe diem. Seize the day. Charge into the woods of life with your head held high, and forge your own path. With all your mind and body, heart and soul, seize the opportunities presented to you before they slip away. Live and thrive on passion. To quote Henry David Thoreau, friend of our dear Emerson, “Live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.” Appreciate all that you have, and do not pine over that which you do not have, unless you are determined and willing and able to go after your goal with all that is in you. Observe the simple pleasures of life, the most basic joys of nature which are for the free spirit to enjoy. Mind the people in your life; always let them know how much you care. Love well. Live well.

     Many of us have already begun to seize the day throughout our high school years; many are just beginning to break out of their shells. With this ceremony, our high school education is ended, but our path of lifelong learning is just beginning. Whether in formal education, relationships, or other experiences, strive to see the deepest meanings in everything, to make the most of every occasion. Once you have “lived deep” -- intellectually, spiritually, physically, socially -- never forget that feeling. Make it your goal, as Thoreau would say, “not, when you come to die, to discover that you have not lived.” Carpe diem is not a lesson reserved for teenagers just trying to have a good time; it is a spirit of passion which transcends age, a power that can be harnessed by any human being throughout life.

     But as you seize the day while you journey through the forest, watch out for the poison ivy, the brambles, the rabid squirrels…In this world of opportunity, danger lurks around every corner -- the possibility of pain, rejection, failure. We have all experienced these troubles in the last four years. Obstacles have and will continue to come up in your path, but don’t let them stop you, don’t give in. Danger is just another form of challenge, and challenge helps us grow. While you might get scratched up a little along the way, you might get a little itchy and red, you’ll still have an adventure, an enriching experience, and you should never stop striving to live life to the fullest.

     And as you quest to live deep, look before you leap. As Professor Keating advises, “Sucking all the marrow out of life doesn't mean choking on the bone. There is a time for daring and a time for caution, and a wise man knows which is called for.” A little bit of fear certainly is healthy, since there is such a thing as going too far and being too daring. Don’t use carpe diem as an excuse to make bad decisions; a little common sense goes a long way. As they always told us in Drivers’ Ed: we may feel invincible as teenagers -- or even as adults -- but we’re not. So while you should snatch up the opportunities that come your way, always stop, take a minute to think, and then make a choice. As my dad always says, “Life is a series of choices.” If we do make a bad decision, it is our responsibility to deal with it.

     Remember: as you seize the day, never neglect the past and the future. The past is a lesson book which should always be kept in mind -- move on, but never forget. Study the paths of those who have gone before so that you do not take the same wrong turns. The future is the present-yet-to-be, the day yet to be seized; without it, there can be no future carpe diem. In order to continue to seize the day, you must always remember that one day affects all those which come after. For every action there is a reaction, a repercussion, a consequence.

     Free your mind, your body, your heart, your spirit -- but do so with caution. Strike a balance between passion and prudence, rashness and rationality. To truly live, one must keep an open mind, a patient heart, and a free spirit. Listen to logic, appreciate the simple things, and thrive on your passions. carpe diem.


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