Rare and precious

Did you ever see, "Dead Poet's Society"?  Fairly popular movie in its day.  Robin Williams plays a prep school teacher responsible for molding young men at a very expensive, very private institution.  And while his teaching style is unorthodox, he successfully touches the lives of the boys he instructs, encouraging them to think, act, live, and love for themselves rather than fall into the mainstream trap of the privileged, the "men of industry".

Link to the "Carpe Diem" monologue (watch me!)

One of my favorite scenes is the first day of class, more affectionately known as the "Carpe Diem" monologue.  He escorts the boys out of the classroom without so much as an introduction, walks them into the main hall and encourages them to look at the "accolade display" case (every school has one) and ponder the faces of all the students who had come before, some many, many years ago.  He then reminds them that the faces in the case, though young-looking, are now feeding worms and flowers as they've died years ago - their time and opportunity to make a contribution now passed.  Therefore, "Seize the Day", boys...gather ye rosebuds while ye may...make your lives extraordinary.  Consider the following:

O me! O life!… of the questions of these recurring;
Of the endless trains of the faithless–of cities fill’d with the foolish;
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light–of the objects mean–of the struggle ever renew’d;
Of the poor results of all–of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me;
Of the empty and useless years of the rest–with the rest me intertwined;
The question, O me! so sad, recurring–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 will contribute a verse.

Few moments in a film have touched me the way Prof. Keating's (R. Williams) message has.  It's like the Parable of the Talents from the New Testament or any such story of recognizing the rare and precious gift that is every moment in a life on earth and making the most of them.  It's "Tuesdays with Morrie" where you can celebrate a life lived and not wasted, the times when your soul connected with the hearts and minds of other souls, where you learn that we're all part of the same plan, that it's in our mutual best interest to help each other along the path, and that the greatest moments come in the small and humble exchanges with a true friend...

I, therefore, live and love to try new things, to seize each day and not feel I'm wasting my time nor the gifts and talents I've been afforded.  It drives me, it drives how I try and raise my son and it allows for a rich fabric of memories and experiences that form the content of my own "display case" - the mental pictures and trophies of people I've touched and that have touched me, of adventures realized, of love, of loss, of a life lived fully.  I'm certainly not perfect and imagine I often fall short.  But ever do I hear Robin Williams' voice in my head - and that spurs me onward and upward.

Last night I accepted an invitation to watch the Eagles perform in concert.  40 years of entertaining and thrilling fans around the globe and last night was my first chance to see them live and enjoy their talent firsthand.  Today will be golf with my buddies - guys I genuinely enjoy being around, joking with, and learning from.  Then sushi with friends (glorious sushi).  And then a block party in the subdivision of a new friend where the Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo will be celebrated and tribute rendered - the chance to meet all new people and form new relationships.  This will be my verse today - what will your verse be???    : )