Gratus Omni Die!

You’ve heard of carpe diem, right? Latin for “seize the day.” People quote it like it’s a verse from the Bible. But guess what—it’s not in there. Go ahead—try to find it!

But there’s a bigger problem with it: seize the day assumes this world is all there is. So, grab what you can, while you can. Really? If this world is all there is, why bother seizing anything?

So this Thanksgiving, I want to propose something better—just as memorable, but with a different starting point. Carpe diem says, “Life is short—grab it!” But faith says, “Life is eternal—thank God for it.” That’s a whole different way to live.

It assumes this present moment, right now, has eternal value. So instead of grabbing, we respond with gratitude—because today is an incredible gift.

OK then, here’s the phrase: Gratus Omni Die (GRAH-toos OM-nee DEE-eh). Latin for “thankful every day.”

I know—right now doesn’t always feel so good. Endless war, political bickering, personal disappointments, rising prices, health struggles, uncertainty about the future. And yet, someday you’ll probably look back on this very season and think, “I’d give anything to be back in 2025.”

So don’t let today’s problems win the battle for your heart and mind. Let thankfulness win the day. Gratus Omni Die!

Photo by Zac Durant on Unsplash