Norwich bulletin., 1912-07-20
SUNDAY MORNING TALK
LIFE IN THE PRESENT TENSE.

A few evenings since I attended the graduation exercises of a high school class. Above the stage on which the white -frocked and black suited grad uates received their diplomas hung floral motto, 'Carpe Diem" Summon ing such scanty Latin as remains in my possession, and with the aid of the man in the next seat. l trans latod the legend, seize the day" If that iSs what the word means, and the dictionary bears out the rendering, they may well stand not merely for a commencement decoration but for a. whole philosophy of life. Those youngsters could hardly have taken a better watchword for all the years when school is left behind.
 We mortals must learn to seize the day as it passes. We should make the most of the present. Time past is gone beyond recall. Over time yet to come we have no control When we strive to seize yesterday or tomorrow we strive for what is out of our reach. If we are going to live at all we must live now. The river of time flows on forever but there is just one point on which it flows over our 0wn little mill wheel
 This incontestable but generally dis regarded fact shuts one up to a mar row responsibility. We are required to bear only the pain of the moment, for one thing. Most troubles are tol- erable if we do not import into them the pain we fear is coming in the days ahead. We often cry because we have been hurt or because we eX- poet to be hurt rather than ,becauae we are actually being hurt
 It is remembered and anticipated trouble added to present trouble that breaks human spirits. He Is a wise man who meets each situation as it comes, not all situations that may come sometime. In the battles of life all our forces may be massed at a single point and if we can repel the enemy there. victory is ours
 It Is strange, moreover, how many people spend their allotted span of years on this earth getting ready to live The lad in school thinks he must first attend to the matter of education. By and by he will begin to live. Then comes the anxiety of choosing busi- ness or profession and the labor of getting a start Life is still ahead of him. Even when success comes it is generally a larger success that one craves. He wants more money or more leisure. People think they must first get on easy street; then they will begin to enjoy themselves, give to good causes, attend to the social and the charitable concerns of life.
 He who reasons in this way is fool ing himself quite completely. He is projecting into an indefinite future what is a present possession could he but realize the fact. My brother, you are living now as really as you ever will live. No added years, no mate rial success that the years may bring can discount yeur privilege of living a complete, useful and Joyous life at this moment Men Actually come to the end of their earthly careers having looked in vain for some turn of for tunes wheel that should bring them into a fullness of experience and op portunity that they should have been able to recognize in each day of the passing years.
 A prime secret of happiness Is to appropriate the good of each present hour. There should be no postpone ment of our purposes legitimately to enjoy life, to make It's great decisions. and, above all. to do it's good deeds. We shall do 50 much in the years to come
 But what have ws done today?