Friday, May 2, 2008

Carpe Diem

Seize the day. That’s basically what Carpe Diem means. I actually had to look it up yesterday when I read my friend’s blog. That friend is Beth in Toronto and I have added a link to her blog on my blogroll to the right.

Beth is somewhat in turmoil…she wants to move to Mexico and experience more out of life along with her family. But she’s having some challenges and her blog address these challenges in a delightfully entertaining way. Check it out.

So back to Carpe Diem. This morning Mike and I learned that one of the real estate agents I work with has kidney cancer. He found out just about the time we returned from Mexico and although he has had radiation treatments, the prognosis is not good. They cannot operate nor do chemotherapy. Mike and I are very upset about this news.

This man was very generous with his time and knowledge when I was a fledgling, just beginning my short-lived real estate career. He always took the time to answer all of my questions, he gave me pointers, and he made me feel like I could succeed. I have always looked up to him in an industry in which you never know if an agent is going to stab you in the back.

And this man has also lived a great life! He has done so many things, lived several different places, raised a loving family, spoiled a few dogs, and owns multiple classic cars. But now it is all quickly coming to an end.

This makes Mike and me very, very sure that we are making the right decision in moving to Mexico and starting all over – even though Mike had emergency brain surgeries in Mexico, we have never actually been teachers, and we know very little Spanish. We never know when we will find out that our time is up – and some people don’t even get any notice.

Carpe Diem.

4 comments:

Brenda Maas said...

Sorry about your friend and collegue. I totally agree with you about living in the now. That is exactly why we are down here rather than working in Canada and waiting for the usual retirement age. I have seen too many people wait until the usual age to retire and then either die before retiring or shortly thereafter. Seize the day. If it doesn't work out you can always go back or change what you are doing. You never know until you try.
Good luck in your new life.

Beth said...

Best wishes to your friend. I hope things turn around for him.

Brenda spoke about retirement. I'm 39 now, and with any luck at all, we'll be able to retire around 50-55 - of course, we by retiring at that age, we certainly wouldn't be able to stay here in Canada - it's just too expensive! (I paid 1.22CAD for a litre of gas the other day!!!!!)

Every day brings something new. Some new challenge, idea, problem or laugh. I'm learning to accept these things with more ease everyday.

Carpe Diem to be sure!

1st Mate said...

You're right, it's time to carpe that diem!! Besides, you've already experienced the Mexican health care system, so you know you'll be all right.

Brenda Maas said...

Beth, we were 51 and 56 respectively when we retired and moved down here and haven't regretted it for a moment. Keep working on that goal.
We got gas here the other day and with the conversion to CAD it was 69¢ per liter. Quite a difference isn't it?