"Carpe Diem"

pictures taken during tsunami caused by the earthquake in Japan

With all that has gone on in the last week I feel like this blog post is quite timely. It's amazing how life can change within minutes. One second your going through your everyday routine and the next an event you never expected completely flips your world upside down. I can't imagine what is going on in Japan now. The earthquake in japan was the fifth-largest in the world since 1900. Looking at these pictures and hearing about fallout of this natural disaster makes me feel sick to my stomach and I can only pray that we can provide as much relief as possible to the millions affected by this disaster. Even writing this post makes my eyes well with tears for them. It is scary to think that something so catastrophic can take place in mere minutes. It gives you a new perspective on life. Cherish everyday and blessing you can and live life to its' fullest.

I remember being in the MTC in august 2005 when we heard news of hurricane Katrina. A missionary in our district was suppose to serve his mission in new orleans when the hurricane hit and his mother sent him a newspaper to tell him about the disaster. To me at that time it was one of the first times I'd ever thought of how much a disaster of that magnitude can truly affect so many people. 

pictures taken during the flooding in New Orleans

Once I left the MTC to serve my mission in northeast texas thousands of survivors began to migrate into texas for food and shelter. We had many opportunities to both provide religious council and relief to hundreds of survivors and it's something I will never forget. I remember going to a chapel where literally hundreds of people had set up living quarters on cotts and very little room. I continue to have this image in my mind anytime I feel like complaining about my room being too small or not having my own bathroom. These people who lost loved ones and all their belongings would never want to hear about it and I know I was raised better than that. I grew to love these people and continued to be impressed by how much faith in God many of them had. 

aftermath of hurricane katrina in New Orlean.

I recently came upon a phrase from a latin poem called Odes 1.11. The finale line of the poem states, "Seize the day (Carpe Diem in latin), trusting as little as possible in the future" I feel like this phrase is something I want to fully affect how I live my life. If there is anything we can truly take from world events and the terrible disasters that have occured in the last few years is that the future is uncertain. We will never know when the world will end. It is up to us to decide how we live our lives in the meantime. I urge us all to follow this council. Help those in need, love your friends, family, and even strangers, and live everyday with the attitude of making the most of every minute of your life.      As Robin Williams said in Dead Poets Society,  "Make your lives extraordinary."