This weekend was yet another snowbound weekend where I live. I dreaded what I saw as a punishment of being homebound due to Mother Nature’s cruel punishment. My husband who grew up in an area of the country that sees dozens of inches of snow a year was tired of hearing my complaints. I used to be the one who literally jumped up and down when I hear that it was going to snow-I have only seen snow 6 times in my life. Now I try to bite my tongue and not curse in front of my child who has been to school a whopping 5 hours this month due to snow days.
I had an attitude adjustment this weekend though when my husband after shoveling the driveway for two hours came inside and shouted “Carp e Diem”! “We are going to go find a place to go sledding!” Initially I thought he was crazy (but impressed that he was using his 4 years of Latin that he learned in high school). But in order for us to go sledding that would mean packing the car which he said he would not drive due to icy roads and driving to a place where we would get cold and wet. But then I looked at 2 expressions-one was his and one was my child’s and I found myself instead of finding a million reasons not to go I decided that we would go and I would make the best of it.
For the past few years after fighting and beating cancer I have tried to have a “Carp e Diem” attitude but often the demands of being a wife and mother often cause me to seize peace and quiet instead of “Seizing the day.” So we went to a beautiful local park where I as a person who has never been on a sled viewed all of the hills as Mount Everest while my husband viewed them as bunny slopes. My young child changed my mind immediately when they cried “mama lets go” as they were jumping on the sled with my husband. As I saw them sledding down the hill instead of feeling my expected fear I felt an attitude of exhilaration-I felt myself laughing like I had not laughed in I cannot remember how long. My husband and I both thought that I would be the one wanting to go home but as I found myself jealous of my young child wanting to spend time on the sled when I “wanted a turn” I never wanted to leave. When I did have my chance to sled I surprised my husband who thought I would never do it and found myself loving sledding!!
When we finally had to leave-not because I wanted to but because they were closing the park I found myself having a long needed reality check. Life is too short as I found out when I was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago. Although I beat cancer I often find myself losing out on the fun in life due to being too practical. I could have insisted on staying home that day since our dinner was already on the stove, the house needed cleaned and many things needed done. Instead I took an attitude of “Carpe e Diem” and seized the day. We live in an area of the country where it very rarely snows. I will always have dishes to do, dinner to cook but may never have a day of sledding again with my husband and child.
Not that I needed verification that I made the right decision but my proof came that night when I put my young child to bed. They asked me “mama what were those 3 words I learned today?” I hesitated for a moment trying to figure out which specific words they meant and then I realized and answered “Carpe e Diem.” My child agreed and said “mama we really carpe e diemed it today.” Yes I know my child’s grammar was wrong but they were so right-we did seize the day. Take a minute to Carpe e Diem today!
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