The Paceline

Everyone knows “carpe diem” – “seize the day.” It’s bright, inspiring, and as uplifting as a new sunrise.

Everyone knows the phrase. A Google search reveals 32.5M hits. It’s painted on the rock that holds open many doors.

Carpe diem is the premise of Dead Poets Society, one of my favorite Robin Williams movies.

Carpe diem is the condensed version of a quote by Horace, one of my favorite Roman poets. Full disclosure, I have more favorite movies than I have favorite Roman poets.

Horace’s full Latin phrase was: “Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero.”

According to Urban Dictionary that means seize the day, trusting as little as possible in the future. It’s commonly used to justify spontaneous behavior and to make the most out of today, because one doesn’t know if they’ll live to see tomorrow.

Sadly, Horace lived before Christ. Like many others of his time, he lived with little hope. But that’s not the story of this post.

A couple of years ago, the Mental Floss website explained “carpe noctem.” The author, Paul Anthony Jones, said it was the nocturnal equivalent of carpe diem and literally means “seize the night.”

Jones went on to explain it can mean EITHER to make the most of your time – to do what it takes to get the job done including work into early morning hours OR to enjoy the evening once the day’s hard work is done.

He left out a third meaning for those who follow Jesus. When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12

Seize the night. Roll back spiritual darkness. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:5

Get ‘er done. Enjoy the night. Let your light shine.

You are the light of the world.

Carpe noctem.