Carpe Diem 轉眼

As time goes by, it is so important to seize the moment, which is the meaning of carpe diem. Sometimes it can be to catch a photo 相片as I have here, a moment in time that can be caught visually. The one is of our little one's legs as he fell asleep on the edge of a bed and right before I rolled him back into the middle of the bed. The other is of an intense moment in a card game as they are waiting to go out on a Saturday night.

回憶Other times it cannot be captured visually, at least not with a camera. It is just a moment that must be remembered through memory 記憶and feelings情緒. I remember one Sunday when I was leaving early to help with the children at church and then the rest would join me later. My daughter always likes to go with me to participate, but this particular Sunday she was sleeping so soundly that it was like trying to wake up a little rubber doll that just happened to look like my daughter. Then just as I was leaving I heard this loud child's voice crying out. I thought it was the neighbor's child, but it did got louder and louder. I just happened by chance to turn around and there was my daughter, standing outside on the steps crying and yelling loudly in Chinese "爸爸, 爸爸!" "Daddy, Daddy!" Half scolding me and half crying all the way as I carried her in one arm up the stairs to change before we left 一手抱她上去換衣服, I found out that as soon as she had gotten up she dashed out the door as fast as her little legs would carry her.

I find that there is more of carpe diem in Chinese culture than in some other cultures. Some cultures like to plan far ahead and then stick to the plan, but (allowing for individual differences) has not been my experience with Chinese friends for personal life...which I can appreciate since I am like that as well.