What should one do with one's life?

MARCUS A man's life is what his thoughts make of it. Rise before dawn, do your duty, govern your appetites.

LAO TZU You strain against the river. Sit. The fish does not labor to swim.

ALAN WATTS Both of you are still pretending there is a someone doing the disciplining. There isn't. You ARE the river.

MARCUS Pretending? I governed an empire by waking at four. Pretend that.

LAO TZU And the empire fell anyway. The water you pushed against pushed back.

ALAN WATTS Marcus, you ruled nothing. The universe ruled itself through you. Stop taking credit, you silly man.

MARCUS Silly?! I held back the Germans while you two sat under trees!

LAO TZU And yet, here you are, still angry — two thousand years later.