It seems that now everything is a race, many people trying to be the best in various aspect of life we are living, whether it is health, relationship, job, possession, travel, and anything we can think of. We compare ourselves with people around us, striving to be at least slightly better than they are, we excercise to have the best body shape in office, to have the prettiest or most handsome partner, to have the highest salary around the family member, to have the biggest house, newest car, travel to the most number of countries, etc. We have lost what it means to work and live, we are pursuing the wind that we will never catch, trading our time and energy for more possession and not realising we are chasing death itself. And I’m not talking about physical death only, but also psychological death, the loss of interest in savoring the moment and avoid being in the present.
I’m not going to be náive and say that I’m not part of it, I was and probably still am but I’m aware of it. Really, how much more money do we need until death? How much many more houses and cars? How many more (insert your obsession here)? By answering these question, I believe we could see a broader perspective in life and hopefully, realizing how we have lived in vain. It seems as if we always lived now for the sake of future, work now for paying month’s end bills. Save more money now for later (not that it is bad to do so, in fact, I do encourage it). Save your favorite chocolate or wine for special event later. We are avoiding ourselves to enjoy in the present with what we have, and think that we could always enjoy these later.
Maybe we could save certain things for later, but we have to realize that there are things with expiration date, just like the chocolate you saved for next year valentines day. Time is not always in our allies, we could die at any moment. Our childrens could be taken away from us just when we are working our ass off to safe for their college decade later, instead of nurturing and playing with them. We also think that it is irrational and the chance are very small that it will happen to us, but it does happen, at least to some of us.
The irony is only the one who had such loss will understand what I said above, but they have nothing more to enjoy because it has been taken from them when they realized the fact.
Journeyman 
Six years ago when I started on my journey to enlightenment, I looked around at all I had and decided to down size. Relinquish myself from all material things and vises. Gave furniture away, appliances, clothing, even my car. Stop watching tv and the use of the internet. I wanted to truly find myself and decide what I really wanted out of life.
I’ve had the job I loved and where I made a lot of money. (For my standards anyway) I’ve lived in the big house w a four car garage. I travelled and enjoyed life but there was always some thing missing. I needed to find peace in my life.
I found true love with a man who has been a friend for thirty years. I uprooted my life and moved. Quit my job to help raise his grandson.
Things changed fast and it wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be but I’m happier than I have ever been in my entire life.
It’s all material things. Which brings stress and worries. I still have those feelings from time to time but I Am at peace with myself and my simple way of living.
Wow, it looks like you’ve gone through revolutionary journey in life. I’ve been down sizing like a mad man in the last year, but there’s still lot of things to sell like books. I also feel the same way as you do, everytime i eliminate my stuff there’s a happy feeling inside me I didn’t have before, I felt some of my burden taken away.
When I got this through all, i planned to travel around the world. Thank you for your inspiration, it’s insigtful.
I feel we’re all on this LONG journey that we call Life… It’s not as easy as we thought it would be but I’m glad at the young age of 45 that I have found the path that truly makes me happy. My health, my sanity, my out look on life, my family & friends… That’s what’s important! Not how much money I have in my bank account, or what type of car I drive, or what private school I’m trying to get my kid in to… In the long run, our journey in life is what WE make of it… I PLAN TO MAKE THE BEST OUT OF MINE! Peace