Seize the Day!
Last weekend, here in the United States, we all turned our clocks back or in some cases our phones and other computerized mechanisms automatically turned the clocks back in observation of Daylight Savings time.
Daylight Savings time during this time of year, is when we gain an hour in the day. The purpose of Daylight Savings time is to make better use of the “sunlight” or daylight hours in the summer time. So in essence, you take an hour from the end of the day and move it to the beginning of the day.
During the fall, time “falls” back an hour, essentially giving us an extra hour of night time. Now if you’re like me you had the urge to stay in bed and sleep that extra hour. But then, I had a thought; this is not an hour to sleep away time. This is an hour to use wisely!
What a precious gift. All of us have 24 hours in the day and it is up to us to make the best use of our day, no matter the task at hand. You may have heard the term “Carpe Diem,” which is Latin for seize the day. Yes, take charge of your day starting with that extra hour!
Soon we'll celebrate Thanksgiving. Families and friends will gather together for food and fellowship, and give thanks for the bounties of the year. It also ushers in the holiday season.
For some, the holidays are challenging because of lost loved ones. I assure you; the feelings of despair, disappointment, and frustration are just temporary. This too shall pass, if you look upward and onward towards the future. I loss my parents six months from each other, so this holiday season will feel and look differently than it has in the past. I have so many wonderful memories of my mom's delicious holiday spreads and my dad's funny stories. I will not only keep these memories with me always, I will make more loving memories with my children. Each day is a opportunity to teach, share and experience the bounties of life.
I challenge each of you as you rise early one morning this week to take a moment to ponder on the blessings in your life – don’t dwell on things that didn’t go well for you – give thanks for the things that did go well. Then, imagine what you can do better to improve your day or your week, and that of someone else.