With-in-the-Lines

When I was a kid, I used to have a drawing book, we filled it with colors and very carefully colors were filled with-in-the-lines. Why they taught us to fill colors with in the lines? I don’t understand till now. What I understand is that we are living life in the same way; most of us, in fact all of us, sometimes me too. Staying in between the lines, avoiding risks at best. Our lives have been guided by someone else through out; sometimes people do it sometimes we impose others on ourselves. Teachers tell us how to behave, how to be good and well behaved. The boy or girl who tops in the class, guides us, we wished to be like him/her or we were told to become like him/her. Sometimes we were supposed to be like our cousins or some friend. Our own views didn’t exist.  We are brought up in that way only, we are supposed to follow rules, to stay with in the lines; lines drawn by society, family or relatives, anyone but ourselves. We all want to be ourselves; to live life in our own way, but how many times do we really dare to disturb the apple cart? When was the last time we did anything without caring about the society, without thinking “what people would say”?  Living life for others, allowing them to judge us, trying to be best according to their expectations, are we not strangers to ourselves? Are we not living a double life, hiding a secret desire to do some crazy thing, breaking off the unseen, unheard chains? Leave alone the crazy stuff, we are afraid of expressing our views, trying to please everyone around parents, spouse, friends, everyone but ourselves. Isn’t it pathetic! Are we not torturing our soul, moreover are we not insulting ourselves by neglecting our heart and mind? I doubt if this is something less heinous than hara-kiri. I often wonder how such people could be trusted, if one is not honest to himself/herself how the individual can be honest in a job or a relationship? Its not about being rebel or non conformist, it’s about being true to oneself.