Soul Saturdays: Henry David Thoreau's Life Philosophy

"My life is like a stroll on the beach; as near to the edge as I can go"--Henry David Thoreau
This quote knocks the breath out of me when I read it. Perhaps because it's so life-affirming for me because I, too, try to live my life like this and sometimes get flack (or what I perceive as flack) for doing so.
Of course, this ties in with the mantra that "life is short" and "carpe diem," two more thoughts that constantly swim around in my mind. These thoughts push me to say yes more often than I should, but the reality is that many of those "yeses" led to wonderful experiences and memories I can cherish forever.
Sometimes, I think that people are leery of people who live their lives this way. We are told to do the safe things, excrutiatingly plan for the future, avoid risks, and measure ourselves against a societal standard. So, people who are at times reckless, adventurous, and passionate are off-putting.
Try not to judge those on the edge, and I'll try not to judge those staying on safer ground.