Much of this, I think, is about taking life seriously, or perhaps too seriously in my case. I'm not sure this is a treadmill I can dismount with ease. Even as a youngster, there was a seriousness about me that had a clear presence. Of course, as a child, I was rewarded for this because it made others feel that I was somehow mature beyond my years. But those rewards were not necessarily the path to the garden of joy.
We live in an ambitious culture. Particularly because of the power of education, the presence of media generated fame, and that indomitable independence of spirit, it is easy to get caught up in the need to create and leave a legacy that carries us past out mortal life. This makes it all too easy to think about the future and forgo the joy of now; the joy of life.
In the end, not much of what most of us will do will matter one whit beyond, say, 50 years past our demise; or perhaps the lifetimes of our children. And this tells me one thing; the greatest legacy we can create is to live fully right now, for no other reason than to just enjoy life.
Is there really any other reason to live this life than to enjoy it?