Response to Major Metal's "not worth living thread": what do you consider living?

[scorpionldr]

Sure, we are all breathing hunks of tissues and cells, reading this forum, but lately I've been thinking: "what IS living?" Going downstairs to get some breakfast and proceed to park my rear on a couch to watch television for the next four hours? Is that HONESTLY living? Sure, right now I'm being a hypocrite, however lately I've been struggling to figure out how to really get a start to my life.
anyways, generally, what do you consider living?

[iamlowsound]

What do you like doing? Do it. Don't be held back by the norms of society. I don't agree with the way society works (the whole go to school, work, retire thing) so that isn't what I am doing. In the last year I have traveled to different parts of the world and learned about that culture, the way of life ect. That is what I consider living.

lowsound

[superfunk47]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

What do you like doing? Do it. Don't be held back by the norms of society. I don't agree with the way society works (the whole go to school, work, retire thing) so that isn't what I am doing. In the last year I have traveled to different parts of the world and learned about that culture, the way of life ect. That is what I consider living.

lowsound

+1. Life is too short to be tied down by what other people think you should do. Do what YOU want to do. Live your own life, regret nothing, enjoy everything.

[CanadaMan]

Exactly, I live by "you only live once." which works for me. It means if I want something, I get it. If I want to do something, I'll do it. It also motivates me, like when I'm working out and I think I'm too tired to do something that was on the list for today, instead of putting it off for tomorrow I think "you only live once, just do it today so if you get hit by a bus tomorrow, you'll have done your exercises.

It works for the biggest things to the smallest thing. You live for you, so do what makes you happy and don't worry about what other's think. Are they really going to effect you that much?

[Son of Sanford]

I guess I can be the first to line up and say I am doing the school, work, retire thing. Only I look at it differently. I chose to go to school to give myself a chance for an education. The best time to fully give yourself to school is when you are young when your relative lack of responsibilities affords you the luxury of full time school.

Now I am in that boring "job" phase. Except I do not view it that way, either. I enjoy my job. I found something that both challenges and entertains me every day. The pay is not bad either, but it is far from the reason I took my job. I am not sure I will ever retire.

School, work, retire is a horribly simplistic view on life. I'm a father, husband, brother, son and friend to a large group of people. Making the most of those relationships with the limited time I have on this earth is living. The rest facilitates that.

[cheesemonkey]

I'm going to school and I'm gonna work but i'm never gonna retire... because i'd rather die than get stuck doing something i hate... Music=life its what i love. So as long as i'm playing music i'm living...

[Oric]

sittin on the toilet, smoking my meerschaum pipe, and transcribing jazz

[Deacon_Blues]

Living is to be. You live when you're aware of your own existence...

What's quality living is another story. I'm also in the job phase, early in it I should add, and to be honest it feels like my job, even though I enjoy it to some extent, shortens my life with 8 hours a day... I would most likely love a career change but I really don't know if I have the courage yet to do that. I don't really know what other things I would do, I have a few ideas (music teacher, chef...) but that's it. I get a decent salary with my job and to change the situation would not be easy if I couldn't guarantee the same income...