There is an art to everything. A way of handling tools, be they physical or philosophical, that comes with practice, learned skills built upon inborn acuity. There is something interesting about watching any animal doing something well and especially seeing human beings perfecting something in their lives. Be it a fine dancer, a fine chef or a fine statesman or woman.
But the one thing we lack skills in seems to be thinking. The main reason for this is because we allow so much that is nothing to do with us do our thinking for us. All the customs and suggestion of past generations mixed up with the prerogatives of modern society. If we are not serving our partners then we are serving our natures and if we are not serving our natures then we are serving the tax office.
What we end up with is the slow realisation at the end of our lives about what was important and the moment when we die becomes the time we can see clearly for the first time in our lives because we are doing something by ourselves which no one can participate in with us. The idea that someone ‘repents’ as they die is not just a common fiction device, it is real. It is life.
Yet thinking is not hard. It only requires one to consider oneself utterly alone in the universe, and work out from there. If you make a decision out of fear or for favour you will always know.