Time Flies, So Seize the Present!

By Mary Matton on August 29, 2019

My dad is an amateur jeweler. He bought a sterling silver quarter and drilled a hole right above Washington’s head that’s just large enough for a small chain to fit through it. On the coin, he imprinted the Latin phrase ‘tempus fugit’ with a jeweler’s press. He gave the necklace to me for my college graduation. Attached was a short, simple note:

“Never forget the present.”

The necklace is a unique piece of jewelry to say the least. The coin and its phrase might even seem arbitrary to some, but the idea that it encapsulates means everything to me. Tempus Fugit, time flies, I would say, is a personal mantra of mine. From day to day, I try to remain as mindful as I can be of the slipperiness of each individual moment. Being present and holding on to each second before it can fly away takes a lot of practice, but if you get good at it, you’ll inevitably find that it will help you think clearly about the past, present & future.

(Pictured: the coin necklace gifted to me by my father.)

 

I found common ground here amongst the Alyce team. One of our core values is ‘Seize the Present’. We make sure to take action in the moment and are always improving our organization as the opportunity arises. At Alyce, we take pride in using our awareness of the present to move confidently into the future. I can’t say enough about how glad I am to be a part of a team that puts as much effort as they can into every millisecond of the day.

Apart from defacing legitimate U.S. currency, which is a serious federal crime (Dad!), the gift of the necklace and the sentiment it represents remains one of my most cherished items. I think he wanted for it to always remind me to be present and take action in the moment. At Alyce, I feel encouraged and motivated to do just that. To me, seizing the present and being conscientious of the way time seems to fly are one in the same.