Carpe Diem

While we were in Hvar, the hot bar in town was called Carpe Diem. At the end of the day, everyone would head down there for a drink...and the view, sunset and great crowd made you never want to leave. Thay also had en extensive drink menu that had little stories and parables attached one of which I'd like to share with you. It seems to me to be the quintessential description of the difference between the way Americans think vs. Europeans....I think we can learn something from this...

One day, an American was in Hvar and saw a Croatian fisherman pull his little boat up to shore around noontime. As the fisherman unloaded the fish from the boat, the American noticed that the fish looked beautiful, but there wasn't very much of it.
So the American said to the Croatian fisherman, "Sir, you have such quality fish, but why is it that you've only caught such a small amount? Why don't you stay out at sea longer and bring back more fish so you can sell it?"
The fisherman answered, "Well sir, the fish that I have caught is enough to feed my family, and the extra gives me enough to support my family on th island. When I am finished fishing at noon, I can take a siesta with my wife, play with my children, watch the sunset and see my friends."
The American came back and siad, "Oh no sir, you have it all wrong. I am a Harvard MBA and I can help you! What you need to do is stay out there all day and catch all the fish you can. Because you have such quality fish, you will make a name for yourself and soon you can start selling your fish to a distributor and exporting all over the county. Little by little you can start your own import/export company, of course you will have to move to New York or LA to do this, but you make millions of dollars and be a very rich man!"
The fisherman said, "How long will it take for me to do this?"
"15-20 years," the American replied.
The fisherman asked, "And then what?"
And the American said, "Then you can retire to an island in Croatia, fish in the morning, take siestas with your wife, play with your grandchildren, watch the sunset and spend time with your firends..."

Carpe Diem indeed...