For the past few days I've been getting asked a particular question.  Why is life like this?  I know why, but I haven't been answering the question honestly to spare feelings.  Life is agony and suffering.  Life is cruel and unfair.  It is indifferent to your pain.  You're born into this world with a sense of innocence and happiness.  As you grow older, life indifferently strips these things from your flesh and spirit.  Devouring you slowly and painfully until nothing is left but bleached, dry and cracked bones.

Life of course, doesn't do this on it's own.  It uses people for this process.  These people come in roughly three categories.  Those who are simply indifferent.  Those who actively torment.  And finally, Those who are needy.  The indifferent are not worth mentioning because they don't know you and you don't know them.  They have no familiarity with you so it is natural that they are indifferent.  Those who actively torment are obvious for what they are.  Evil little beasts with no concept or concern for how much pain they cause.  They are akin to those sick people who torture small animals for amusement, except that they use emotional pain instead of physical.  Dumb, low-brow creatures who laugh stupidly at anothers suffering.

The final group is the most devious.  For they are the ones who can get closest to you.  That is because this group is the group of people you actually care about.  They are your family and friends.  People who you share with and they share with you in turn.  You can't get rid of them, because you need them and they need you.  But when they hurt, you hurt.  When they suffer, you suffer.  You're there to be their shoulder and they are yours as well.  They slowly drain you dry of your ability to be compassionate and to sympathize.  And most times, you don't notice nor do you care because they give of themselves to you too.  Because you 'love' them and the feeling is mutual.  And they are there when you need them, always.  At least, they are when its a healthy bond....  But so often it isn't...and it is then that this grouping of people becomes the most efficient of life's tools.  For they are the ones you care about and love.  You can't stop them from settling close to you for comfort.  For it hurts you to hurt them in that way.  So they get in close and murmur softly and needfully before placing gentle hands upon you.  Lulling you into a relaxed, open and giving state.  And you give, and give, and give....  And no matter how much you give, they are never healed.  But they will gladly consume all that you give regardless.  So they continue to feed and drain until they are gorged and nothing is left.  And once the sustenance is gone, they take flight...leaving behind a shriveled, empty husk to be scattered to the four winds.

Hello.  I thought that I'd include some excerpts from a fictitious journal I'm writing.  So what follows is exactly that.  Entries from a fictitious journal.  Oh, and I'm feeling fine today.

This just the first entry.  I figured I'd share.  Well, back to work now.  I can't be doing this all day now can I?  I don't know if I could handle it.