Carpe Diem

I love love love movies that develop, not just a story line, but spend time developing the character’s lives to complement the story line. I, in turn, get even more excited when the roles reverse and the narrative of the character’s seem to be the driving force of the movie. Some might argue that you have to have both faucets, to even have a movie. However, I disagree. I’ve watched too many movies recently were we are served up shallow, lackluster characters that are just mere puppets to push a silly horribly written script. Please know I do not consider myself a movie critic. But the older I get, the more my time means to me. Therefore, it frustrates me when I end up wasting my time watching some type of propaganda or mindless fluff. I want something with substance.

With that being said, I finally watched Dead Poets Society on Monday night. I’ve wanted to watch it since it was released in 1989. I don’t think I was old enough to be allowed to watch it, at the ripe old age of 8. That was probably a wise move on my parent’s part. I probably would have started to “seize the day” and “think freer” a lot sooner than later. That would have ultimately led me to getting spanked and sent to my room. Where, subsequently I would have all the time I wanted to think freely and plan how I would seize the NEXT day. Because, of course, that day would be spent in my room, where I would have been expected to think about why I had been spanked and sent to my room.

Anyway, I recommend watching the movie if you haven’t already. Don’t expect it to be a fasted paced, easy unfolding movie. It’s enjoyable, but only because it spurred me to think about my life. To question whether or not I’m seizing each day I live. And for me, it is not about questioning whether or not I’m successful or adventurous. But more importantly, am I sharing Christ’s love and grace with others? Am I thinking outside my little box about how Christ can use me to impact those in which I come into contact.

Watch the movie. Start thinking.

“To quote from Whitman, ‘O me! O life!...of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless... of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?’ Answer. That you are here - that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?” -John Keating (Robin Williams Character in Dead Poets)


“I went into the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life... to put to rout all that was not life; and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
-Henry David Thoreau