Is it good to seek peace of mind in extremes?

Hillary and Tenzing are famous around the world for being the first people to climb Mount Everest in 1953.

But few people have heard about the discussion they had half way up the mountain.

"You see Tenzing, we are going to tame the dragon of Everest. We have been climbing its back, and soon we will be higher than its head."

"Yes, I see Hillary, but I am not as enthusiastic as you are."

"But look at the fantastic view. We are at a crossroads: down there is the valley, our resting place, the ultimate depression. And up there is the roof of the world, the highest point on earth, with its eternal snow. What more could you want?"

"I don't want anything. I know people who have been depressed, and who have sworn to me that they reached the very bottom of their being. And that is not a good place to be, believe me. I have also spoken to people who reached the summit of their existence, and who sacrificed everything to get there. They did not seem happier. When you are at the top, you are alone, it's cold, and nothing grows there.

"Personally, I prefer staying with my friends and family, at a level where I am comfortable. You are not at peace, Hillary, because you look up or down too much. You don't know how to stay still."

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Is it good to seek peace of mind in extremes? This little conversation seems to say that it is not. True, everyone admires the prowess of Hillary and Tenzing, but that has nothing to do with the serenity we seek in life. People perform exploits for other reasons than finding happiness. It is not good to live in extremes.

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"Virtue has its own just measure."
- Seneca
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