Jesus wept.

I know I've been all over this thing lately...but I've just had a lot to say I guess.

Also, with my facebook being...out of commission, I have no status to use as an outlet for my lyrics/quotes/thoughts/etc. And I...misplaced my journal. And these are just some of the things I've been wanting to write in it lately. They don't go together. I don't have a point to make. They're just...things.

So, for lack of a pen and paper...

"I've been thinking a lot lately about taking chances and how it's really just about overcoming your fears. Because the truth is, every time you take a big risk in your life, no matter how it ends up, you're always glad you did it."

Happiness is a lot like sorrow.

Let it be; you can't make it come and go,

But you are gone - not for good but for now.

But gone for now feels a lot like gone for good.

"Happiness isn't always the best way to be happy."

"I don't think people are meant to be by themselves. That's why if you actually find someone you care about, it's important to let go of the little things, even if you can't let go all the way. Because nothing sucks more than feeling all alone, no matter how many people are around."

You fall away from your past,

But it's following you.

"I've discovered that happiness isn't something we find; it's something we create."

And when you're gone, will they say your name?

When you're gone, will they love you the same?

If not...that's okay.

"Will you keep out all the sadness?"

"Sadness is easier because it's surrender. I say, make time to dance alone with one hand waving free."

"I think I've been asleep most of my life."

I wish life were as simple as song lyrics or children's books or movies. The song ends happy or it doesn't. That's the end. There aren't sequels for songs, no epilogues (usually). Once the song is over, it's over, and we don't really think about what happens after the song ends.

I wish there really were someone who could keep the sadness out. A king, a monster, a little boy...a higher power, a mother, a father, a friend... But it's an impossible task. It's an unreasonable request. And besides, it would be unfair. Sadness is a necessary part of life. It's one thing that we all share, regardless of race, sex, religion or background. We all feel pain. We all experience loss. And that's...a pretty depressing idea if you think about it, but it's true. It has to be true, because without sadness, we would have no basis for happiness. Without knowing what it feels like to be hopeless or depressed or just even down in the dumps, we wouldn't know joy when we feel it. It's like good, Wednesday pizza. It's a stretch, but go with me. In high school, every day they served pizza in one of the lines, and every day, it was yucky, normal, nothing-special, sometimes undercooked pizza...every day except Wednesday (it was Wednesday, right? Or was it Friday?). On Wednesdays (or whatever), they served delicious, hot, awesome pizza and everyone always got really excited for the good pizza days. It was a high point of the week, something to look forward to. Now, I've been told, good pizza day is every day. They always serve good pizza, and they never serve the yucky, cold pizza. And do you know what's happening? Kids aren't excited about good pizza anymore. It's just pizza. There's nothing special about it.

Happiness is like good pizza. It's not nearly as special or as good if you never have to eat cold gross pizza. It's old hat. It becomes mundane.

Sadness is important. It's unavoidable. It's life. But it has to be there. It has to pave the way for happiness so that we can fully appreciate it when we have it.

Because sometimes, the boy doesn't find the girl in the red hat. Sometimes he searches and searches in a sea of red hats, and he never finds her. Sometimes he gives up before he even starts, gets back in the car, and continues on his way.

...but sometimes he finds her. And that's what makes it all worth it.