It Is Your Life. Live It Accordingly.

A book was recommended to me that nails much of the view point I've come to at this juncture in my life ... the view point that made this sailing trip a reality. To sum up my sentiments, from page 126:

It’s easy to believe that you came into the world with a prearranged program you must follow. After all, long before you arrived, other people figured out how you should live, what laws you should obey, what your obligations are, the whole structure for a “proper” life.

Most people accept that program. They try to find the proper rules and hope to follow them faithfully. They do everything possible to live up to the images that others declare to be “moral,” “rational,” “in,” or acceptable.

The tragedy is that each of them has only one life and he throws that life away trying to live it as someone else has dictated. He accepts the traps without question.

He allows the world to act upon him — instead of creating a joyous world for himself. As a result, he comes to accept as part of life many discomforts, problems, and aggravations. When he gets into a box, he accepts it as his lot.

It is tragic.

As you consider the prearranged programs that others hand you, remind yourself that you have only one life. Ask yourself whether you’re willing to trust it to someone else’s information, ideas, or plans. Are you willing to give up the one life you have in order to conform to the way others think you should live?

Your life is all you have. What could possibly be important enough to warrant throwing that life away?

The book is, "How I Found Freedom In An Unfree World" by Harry Browne.