A Life Well Lived

What is a life well lived? A rich life, one that allows me to look back and smile?
I've been feeling quite philosophical lately. Have looked at the restrictions that are laid upon us from the outside (religion, society, family), and limitations that we set for ourselves (I shouldn't be doing this because...). I find it very easy to give in to the dark pull of depression, to say, "what is the purpose of all this striving, achieving, goal setting, running towards said goal with blinders on? We can't take anything with us when we die." Nobody, not even the most enlightened being on this Earth can more than speculate on what actually happens beyond this life.

Not being religious myself I cannot escape into the comfort of dogma. Because I simply don't know. I have no clue what the purpose of my existence is. Surely one can see how quickly this train of thought can pull you into a dark hole that leads nowhere. Been there, done that.

But because I don't have the answers to the purpose of our existence, and because I simply don't know if there is a life after death I can give myself permission to look at THIS life, THIS day as intensely precious. There is tremendous freedom in letting go of outer and inner limitations. The less I allow myself to be guided by what I supposedly "can't" do the more I can feel a sense of creativity flow through every fiber of my being.

So what is a life well lived? I'm in the process of sorting that one out. Hopefully, with every day that I allow myself to BE as opposed to whipping myself into shape in order to fit into my own or someone else's idea of who or what I am "supposed" to be, I get closer to a sense of connection, a sense of participation in the grand creation that goes on all around us all the time. And hopefully there will be a whole lot of laughter, companionship, love and really good food along the way.