Casablanca – How often do we postpone doing things because we’re waiting for the right moment? Well, “Carpe diem” is a reminder that the perfect time rarely announces itself.
Today marks “Carpe diem” national day. It is a Latin expression meaning “seize the day.” It is an opportunity to remind ourselves to enjoy the present – because once a moment passes, it never truly comes back.
“Carpe diem” is about living before life turns into a long list of things we meant to do, whether it’s saying yes to experiences, speaking up when something matters, taking the trip even if the plan isn’t perfect, or simply enjoying a quiet moment without rushing to the next one.
We are constantly told to wait; wait until you’re ready, wait until you have more time, wait until life slows down. But life rarely does. Days blur into weeks, and suddenly “later” becomes “never.”
The truth is, the “right moment” is often an illusion. We don’t wait for it, we create it.
This mindset usually stems from fear.
Fear of failure, regret, or making the wrong choice. We keep asking what if it doesn’t work out? And without realizing it, we trap ourselves in an endless cycle of postponement.
But, what if it all works out?
‘Carpe diem’ vs ‘Memento mori’
There is another concept that resembles “Carpe diem” in essence, yet differs in perspective: “Memento Mori.”
While “Carpe diem” centers on the present moment, “Memento Mori” shifts attention to mortality. It translates to “remember you will die.”
At first glance, the idea may seem dark or unsettling, but its purpose is not fear, it is awareness. Awareness that time is limited, and therefore meaningful.
In essence, one encourages us to embrace life in the moment, while the other reminds us of its inevitable end. The takeaway is clear: enjoy life.
Why ‘Carpe diem’ wins
Personally, I always feel drawn to “Carpe diem.”
Why let the moment of death dictate how I live, when by then I will no longer be aware of my choices? To me, meaning exists only while I am conscious, only while I am here.
“Carpe Diem” doesn’t urge me to live fully because life will end, but because life is unfolding now, because I exist in this moment, able to feel it, experience it, and shape it.
If I fail to do so, any regret won’t wait for death, it will arise while I am still alive.
When death arrives, it will take everything: the joy, the hesitations, the chances seized and the ones missed. What remains won’t be my awareness, but the life I chose to live, or to postpone.
And for me, that makes the present moment the only place where meaning truly exists.
