Blog
12 September 2024
Carpe Diem: Why Wait?
I like to begin my Leadership Team meetings with a question. Sometimes it is as simple as asking everyone to share a restaurant recommendation, and sometimes it is a little more reflective, like what task each of us most struggled with the week before. Most recently, I asked the team “What one thing have you always wanted to do, but haven’t yet, and what has been holding you back?”. It proved to be an extremely interesting conversation, where we shared a variety of aspirations, from taking a vacation with an aging parent to jumping out of an airplane (some of us are clearly more adventurous than others!). The conversation stayed with me, and got me thinking about the latin phrase Carpe Diem - “seize the day”. The meaning is pretty straightforward–enjoy the moment, make the most of the present rather than dwelling on the future. But actually doing it, truly “seizing the day”, is not always easy.
It seems everyone is just too busy. If your home is anything like mine, we always seem to be playing catch up. We work long hours, fight traffic to pick up our kids from soccer practice, rush home to make dinner, clean up the dishes and walk the dog before throwing in a load of laundry and then check email one more time and make a weekend dinner reservation before hitting the sack. We lament that there is never enough time, but of course the problem is not actually a lack of time. We all know that time is fixed–60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, and 24 hours in a day. Nothing we do or don’t do changes time. The problem is how we manage, or more accurately, don’t manage the time we have.
The truth is, we often let our days manage us, rather than the other way around. We fill our schedules to the brim, adding more and more to our to-do lists without pausing to consider what’s truly important or meaningful. In the process, we miss out on those "Carpe Diem" moments—the small joys, the opportunities for connection, or even the chance to try something new that excites us.
But what if we flipped the script? What if, instead of waiting for a mythical "right time" to tackle that bucket list item, we made it a priority? Maybe it’s not about finding hours of extra time in our day but carving out intentional minutes. Maybe it's about shifting our perspective, asking ourselves daily: "What can I do today, even in the smallest way, to seize this moment?"
As educators, and as parents, we set the tone for those around us—our teams, our families, our communities. If we’re constantly caught up in the rush, we risk modeling a life of stress rather than a life of purpose. But when we make a conscious effort to seize the day, to be present, and to pursue the things that matter most, we create a ripple effect. We inspire those around us to do the same.
So, as I reflect on that meeting with my leadership team, I’m reminded that the barriers holding us back from doing the things we’ve always wanted to do are often self-imposed. I’ve always admired people who can sit down and effortlessly play a piece of music. For years, I’ve thought, *One day, I’ll learn.* But like so many of us, I’ve let the busyness of life become my excuse. Well, not anymore. For my part, this is the year that I will finally learn piano. Ms. Harrison, our school librarian (originally a music teacher), is willing to teach me, and with a beautiful piano sitting in our school chapel, I simply have no more excuses to hold me back. Maybe, by next year, I’ll even be able to play a little something at one of our school events. Who knows? But for now, I’m excited to start—one key at a time.
For the students reading this, as we start a fresh new school year, I want to challenge you as well. You have dreams, goals, and things you’ve always wanted to try. Whether it’s joining a new club, learning an instrument, trying out for a sports team, or starting that project you’ve been putting off—what’s stopping you? High school is the perfect time to explore and push yourself beyond your comfort zone. Don’t wait for the “perfect” moment because it rarely comes. Instead, seize the opportunities that are in front of you now, and take those first steps. “Seizing the day” isn’t about perfection. It’s about starting, about showing up for yourself, and making space for the things that bring joy and fulfillment. What’s been holding you back? And more importantly, what are you going to do about it?
What will you seize today?
Ms. Briand
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