Seize the Day

In the movie clip above, in the wonderful film "Dead Poet's Society",  Robin Williams takes his students into the foyer of the school and talks to them about seizing every opportunity in life. He uses the photographs on the wall of  previous ancient students to make the point that we are not going to get out of this life alive. 

In one hundred years from now ninety nine percent of us will be dead and buried or burned. Sobering thought. Our bodies left behind as we enter a new dimension. (see my previous blog re - the best five minutes of our lives and the next best five minutes)

We come from nothing and we go to nothing. What I mean is that we didn't have our present bodies before conception and we won't have them after death. I watched "Ghost" recently (can you believe it that after all this time I finally watched it. The premier was in 1990!) The movie portrayed this transition from life through death to life very well. I have no more fear of death. OK maybe a little! It really is the fear of the unknown I guess.

The book, "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" by Mitch Albom is a lovely book about this transition. It is not a religious book by the way. It is an excellent read.

Mitch wrote another book entitled "Tuesdays with Morrie".  Morrie is dying and Mitch sees him every Tuesday. They talk about the process of death. Morrie decides to have a celebration with all his family and friends just before he dies. They all bring something to share. Some read poetry, others tell stories of Morrie's life, others thank Morrie for something, some ask for forgiveness from Morrie, some forgive Morrie, some say a prayer out loud and others play music that Morrie loved. They laugh, they sing, they cry and best of all they love unconditionally. That is what we should do instead of having a funeral where we say 'nice' things about the person after they are dead. Why don't we do it now, while they are alive?

I was at a funeral today. As I looked at the coffin I became aware that I would one day be in it! Or rather my body would. I will be free from the restrictions of my body, soaring with the Angels in the presence of Him/Her. Free from all my conditioning, all my failure, all my mistakes, all my pain. I will be in a new dimension of unconditional love and unconditional  love and unconditional  love. New life yipppppppeeeeee!

Don't misunderstand me, I love this life and I have a lot of spiritual growing to do and things to achieve and relationships to get right. So I'm not going right now D.V.

Have you thought about that?  One day ... not maybe...not possibily. Sooner or later it will happen to all of us. Whether you are good, bad or ugly. Believe me -  it is going to happen. Are you ready?  Do you appreciate loved ones and friends now?  It's too late when you are at their funeral. That only leads to regret and remorse. It is too late when you or they are dead.

Carpe Diem - Seize the Day!  We only have today. Do you need to make a phone call, or write an e-mail, or write an old fashioned letter or go and see someone to ask for forgiveness or to forgive? Do you need to start loving someone unconditionally today? Then do it!

Are you afraid travel, to find a new job, to go back to study, to change your life positively, to get out of your rut, to do things differently or to feed the poor?  Seize the day and do it or make plans to do it.

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross says in her book: "On Death and Dying" that there are only three things that we can take with us. Love for God. Love for others and love for ourselves. Maybe you need to forgive yourself today.Maybe someone else? Whatever they have done to you,will it matter in a hundred years time or when they are dead?  Leave it to the Creator. He/She, (The Creator)  knows all about that persons complete life. He/She knows what made them do what they did. He/She knows the conditioning of the person, their struggles and their pain. You probably only know the tip of the iceberg of that persons life. Maybe you need to ask Him/Her for forgiveness. Don't wait another moment! Today is the day!

Carpe Diem!

Stay tuned for the next blog.
Please let me know if the articles are helpful. Also please feel free to request that I write on some topic.