It's about choice.

I love my freedom. I'm not sure what that means, but I believe it. In order to safeguard it I consider my options. I'm honest about them. One option may be extreme, undesireable, or illegal, but that doesn't negate it as a option, it only sets it's priority.
So everything in my life is a choice. Breathing, eating, living, working, parenting. I *could* choose otherwise, but I like the choices I've made. Knowing that makes me quite content.

You know what's funny? I've found that most people don't share, or enjoy, this vision.

To illustrate, here are a couple of converstations that I have had:

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Them: "My kids are growing up too fast"

Me: "So you want you're kids to have stunted development?"

Them: "No, I'm saying I'm not ready for them to be so grown up."

Me: "The alternative is that they be slower than their peers. That's a pretty selfish wish. I'm glad I'm not one of your kids. You'd hate me for reaching adulthood."

Them: "You don't understand what I'm saying."

Me: "Try English. I know that fairly well."

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Them: "I would have been on time, but my boss made me stay late."

Me: "Did you call the police?"

Them: "Why?"

Me: "How did your boss force you to stay? Did he tie you up, handcuff you, what?

Them: "No, hey just said I had to."

Me: "Is your boss a hypnotyst? A Jedi maybe? Gee, I can't get my kids to listen to me, and you're an adult. Maybe he can teach me some things."

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Them: "I'm getting old"

Me: "There is an alternative. A 100% known cure for aging"

Them: "What?"

Me: "Death."

Them: "You're morbid."

Me: "No, you're close minded."

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Them: "I'd like to go with you guys, but I have to pay my mortgage this week."

Me: "No you don't."

Them: "No, it's due on Thursday"

Me: "I'm sure the bank would happily keep your house if your forfeit. They're pretty consistent that way. You could go out with us now and start looking at apartments tomorrow.

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And this one with my wife.

Them: "The kids need me."

Me: "No they don't. They don't drop into comas when you go shopping. They get a bit hungry, but I hardly notice."

Them: "No, they NEED me."

Me: "I'm quite certain they'll outlive you by 2 decades. You dropping dead or leaving won't kill them."

Them: "That's not what I meant."

Me: "But that's what you said."

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And yet for some reason they blame me for their misunderstandings of the issue. I'm only trying to clarify their options so they feel empowered. So I've learned now to choose not to help, people are more grateful that way.