Let me respectfully remind you –
Life and death are of supreme importance.
Time passes by swiftly
And opportunity is lost;
Each of us must strive to awaken.
Awaken!
Take heed, do not squander your life.

-Zen Master Dogen

From “Harold and Maude.”

Vice, Virtue. It’s best not to be too moral. You cheat yourself out of too much *life*. Aim above morality. If you apply that to life, then you’re bound to live life fully.

Harold: This is real nice. Makes me want to do somersaults.
Maude: Well, why don’t you?
Harold: I’d feel stupid.
Maude: Harold, everyone has the right to make an ass out of themselves.
You just can’t let the world judge you too much.

Maude: Here we are. Oat straw tea and ginger pie. Excuse the mismatched saucers.
Harold: This is definitely a new experience for me.
Maude: Oh, wonderful. Try something new each day.
After all, we’re given life to find it out. It doesn’t last forever.

A lot of people enjoy being dead. But they are not dead, really. They’re just backing away from life. Reachout. Take a chance. Get hurt even. But play as well as you can. Go team, go! Give me an “L”. Give me an “I”. Give me a “V”. Give me an “E”. L-I-V-E. LIVE! Otherwise, you got nothing to talk about in the locker room.

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow! What a Ride!'”

~ Hunter S. Thompson