Spontaneity Makes “Seize the Day” More Than a Cliché

Spontaneity has never come naturally to me, although over the years I have become better at embracing unplanned opportunities.? I’m a planner at heart.? My natural default is to plan my day or weekend or vacation (and my life!) then do everything I can to ensure everything works out just as I had mapped it out.??

Being a planner isn’t bad by any means.? I’ve learned that some flexibility and spontaneity can allow space for fabulous, unplanned experiences.? One of my recent rewards for saying “yes” to an unexpected outing was a great day of golf with my son Zack.? Over a bowl of cereal one morning, he asked if I might want to play some golf.? He meant that very morning.? In just one hour, actually.? Spending hours on the golf course wasn’t on my original agenda for the day. I heard myself automatically respond, “Ah, I don’t think so, Zack.”? I had a writing deadline (for this article, actually) and it was fast approaching.? A quick minute later, I said to myself and to Zack, “Why not?? Let’s do it!”? I almost missed out on a beautiful day, one-on-one time with my youngest, and a pretty decent round of golf, too!

That moment of spontaneity is just one example of how I am trying to make the most of each day.

Chatting on the phone recently with my oldest son Jake, he mentioned that he’d begun embracing a “seize the day” philosophy. ?As often happens, Jake and I connected on the idea.? We frequently find ourselves on a similar plane, even when we live 5,910 miles apart!?

The roller coaster of life has been rough for our family over the past year, leaving us clinging tightly to the safety bar and just trying to get through.? We have faced seasons of loss that sometimes made it difficult to do much more than “get by.”? Those losses still weigh heavy at times, and they will always be part of us.? Having seen so intimately that tomorrow is not promised, we appreciate the importance of making the best of today.? More than ever, we are committed to seizing each day.

The Latin idiom “carpe diem” has become a bit cliché over the centuries since first coined by Roman poet Horace.? We refer to it in English as “seize the day,” and the literal translation is “pluck the day.”??

Seizing the day looks different for everyone and it varies depending on current circumstances.? I’ll admit, after my husband Darren died last year, embracing the day sometimes meant simply getting out of bed and going to work.? Sometimes that’s the best we can do, and that’s ok.

Years ago, when our sons were preparing to leave for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, I watched friends who were a few years ahead of us in the process of becoming empty nesters.? I learned the importance of making the most of each hour we had with our college-aged children.? We learned that even a last-minute day trip gave us time for catching up.? A nice walk on the beach or a short hike, and of course a shopping trip for something they “really needed” gave us quality time together.? That was the prize.

Squeezing the most out of a day might mean heading south to Wind Wolves Preserve to get a hike in before the predicted rain arrives.? Often, it means devoting a day to writing, because if I don’t work today on my life-long goal of publishing a book, then that dream will never come true. Making the most of the day might mean getting up a little earlier than normal to go for a walk around the park with my neighbor, or an even a longer sunrise trek along the bike path. ?And it might mean saying yes to an unplanned outing or adventure!

Our regular routines reveal our priorities, and I think of them as another way of seizing the day (or at least focusing on what matters in life).? For example, calling my dad each day as I drive to work (and often on the drive home) is how I make great use of time while staying connected to him on a daily basis.? And on most Thursday evenings, I enjoy time with my small group friends, studying the bible and supporting each other.? And let’s not forget Pickleball Mondays!

Thankfully for me, seizing the day doesn’t mean I need to avoid planning for the future. ?Plans made today, and being intentional in my actions, can create opportunities and special experiences in the future!? Several years ago, that meant going back to school to pursue my master’s degree, paving the way for new career opportunities.?

These days, I have my eye on travel to new destinations.? Having experienced the joy of international adventures with family over the past couple of years, we’re planning more!? Today, we’re making plans for a trip to Spain. ?We’ll relax, explore, and simply enjoy time together.? In keeping with my continued focus on embracing the day and being flexible, I will plan plenty of unscheduled time to allow for lots of spontaneity and seizing of the day.? ?“Planning for spontaneity.”? Now THAT I can do!