There are two ways to live a life. You can either live to prove something to the people in your mental neighborhood, or to do what you believe is right.
The former, taken to the extreme, will gradually isolate people who are important in your life, and even yourself. Of course, you can insist on living in an illusion—your artificial asylum; however, it can go only so far. In fact, when you awake to the truth, not much will be left of and around you.
The other approach is different. It gives room for you to be yourself, perhaps not always, but a lot more often than otherwise. It gets you thinking about after you’re gone and people around you. It clears your mind off any short-term confusing factors in life. What you will realize is that learning and contribution are the most valuable of all.
To tell the truth, this is a letter to myself. I wrote this because I want to wake up and go to bed, having the feeling that I am doing the right thing to me, family, friends and the part of the world I identify with.