Carpe Diem

In the movie 'Guns of Navaroone', Commodore Jensen, the military officer who appoints the team with the unenviable task of doing away the Guns of Navarone says 'Slap in the middle of absolute insanity people pull out the most extraordinary resources: ingenuity, courage, self-sacrifice. Pity we can't meet the problems of peace in the same way, isn't it? It would be so much cheaper for everybody.'

At times of crisis, we do things beyond what we thought we were capable of, strength- both of mind and body- come to us and we get by and survive. I suppose that is the main thing-survival- we will do anything and everything to get by. But then there is another issue, the second part of the sentence, where peace and stability means we do not reach anywhere near our full capabilities. Is it that in times of crisis our attention is fully on the present and everything fades into insignificance and we live today like there is no tomorrow? It is a topic that I have come across and also posted on my blog (At War, They Live Life).

On war footing is another common phrase when disaster relief and rescue or a work is being done expeditiously. Does it mean that we do not want to achieve that same level of intensity on every occasion, or perhaps it is not required. But the fact remains, that statement is indicative of a lot of things wrong with us- complacency and lazyness- for we are happy with the present unless threatened with dire consequences. We achieve maximum efficiency on the eve of exams or when deadlines are near. It is a good thing in the above two situations but it can also mean that we will be blind to all things that happen gradually like global warming or slow inflation or gradual deterioration of our health until one day we reach the tipping point.

A lot has been said about living it today, but it has also been misinterpreted to mean just having a blast and totally freaking out, in which case you would be wise to remember that there is a tomorrow. What living everyday simply means is that we should make the best use of the time given to us and situation we are in. 'If', 'Carpe Diem' and a lot of other works speak about the same thing.

Let us make use of every second, make best use of our situation and become better individuals through the process.

Live everyday like there is tomorrow.
What better place than this to begin
What better time than now....