I Saw Carpe Diem at 70 and it was Awesome!

16 Oct I Saw Carpe Diem at 70 and it was Awesome!

By Lauren Chesley, The Stuff of Life

What does it actually mean to seize the day…to silence your phone and your mind and live in the moment?

This is a hard one for me. In fact, I almost got run over by zooming traffic because I was so busy texting while walking (still not illegal) that I didn’t even notice the crosswalk sign was flashing and blinking, “Don’t Walk.”

I didn’t even notice I was the only one in the middle of the street. I didn’t even notice until I heard cars honking LOUDLY at me. It is that distracting feeling where your head is in a million places…and where you forget to stop and look up and look out.
However, yesterday I was challenged to push PAUSE and seize the day. I felt a bit like Ferris Bueller…playing “hooky” in the streets of Chicago, my new city, although perhaps in this case I was Ferris’ Cameron Frye.

And who was Ferris? Let me answer with a question. How many 70 year old women do you know who get a tattoo? How many 70 year old women do you know who get a tattoo that says, “Carpe Diem” and actually walk the talk? My dear friend Moe—that’s the only one I know.
Moe thinks big and out of the box! She decided in honor of her 70^th birthday that she would travel to 70 places in her 70^th year. By this I mean serious travel…India, South America, Europe and on and on and on…

As it turns out, both Chicago and I made the list. Next week will be number 70 when Moe heads to Bhutan to conclude her birthday dream…to truly live by the words tattooed on her upper arm. It is truly a badge of courage! One I find myself in awe of…and inspired by.

But yesterday I was number 69 on someone else’s list. (We did have to chuckle about that number.) As unplugged as I could be (phone on vibrate) I joined the Moe journey. We ventured and drank and talked our way through a beautiful glorious fall day in Chicago. No agenda—

I have lived here nearly two months and I have been so busy being busy that I have forgotten to look up and look out. Guess what—the Art Institute is spectacular. Guess what else…wine at 2 pm is lovely…and Fannie May candy right out of the box is close to heavenly!

Could I ever travel alone around the world? Could I ever let go long enough to allow life to just lead me? Would I ever get a tattoo? Could I ever travel the world with one small “wheelie bag?”

Happy Birthday Moe—and thank you for my early birthday present. I will be 53 next week (unlikely to get a tattoo)   But, I will journey on. And in this year I will force myself more often to “seize the day.”

Today, I will cherish the gift of friendship and the gift of time. Is there a better birthday present?

Wherever you are today—look up and look out and be grateful for the moment that is right in front of you.

A Journey? Bravery? Adventure? Putting your phone on silent? What will be your “carpe diem” act today?