You’re probably familiar with the famous phrase ‘carpe diem’ which is typically translated as ‘seize the day.’

What you probably aren’t aware of is that this is a mistranslation.

‘Carpe’ literally means ‘to harvest or pluck’, as one would do of fruit that is ripe.

Seizing the day is quite different from harvesting it, in my opinion.

Seizing is about taking something by force; it's about grasping, snatching and conquering, with an aggressive quality to it.

Harvesting, on the other hand, is about gathering and collecting; it's about enjoying the bounty of that which is right in front of us, that which is ready and ripe to delight in.

It is this latter sentiment the Roman poet, Horace, was trying to convey in his poem, Odes 1.11.

The poem is about savouring the moment, basking in the sensory experience at hand, and not postponing life until tomorrow.

Slight variation in meaning; a considerable difference in one's approach to life.

This one shift in perspective can make your day glorious or grabby. Your choice.

I'll leave you with the original line from Horace's poem: 

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."
(Harvest the day [for it is ripe], trusting as little as possible in tomorrow.)