The here and now seems better than the unknown.

made what we have now. Compared to what there is to know one person knows nothing. You have contributed friend, know that. Peace.

Leads people to destructive behaviors to dull the pain … drinking, smoking, drug addiction, overeating, etc. even suicide. Our life expectancy overall keeps going down. Just an observation.

"why bother if your life has no joy and will never have any joy again"

I felt this way in my thirties after decades of dealing with depression/chronic fatigue. My normal was low level depression. I was in and out of counseling, self help, interventions. Nothing seemed to provide long term relief. I had decided suicide was the only fair choice. A long lost friend reappeared and guided me to her doctor who prescribed a med which helped me experience a depression-free normal. Suddenly, the world seemed right and right was was very good. When that wore off I sought out another med solution, no luck, but I now had hope. Working in a book store, I ran across some information about St. johns Wort, a natural herbal remedy for my ailment with centuries of anecdotal evidence. I did some research and found German clinical studies that showed it's efficacy in scientific terms. I started a daily regimen which lasted over a couple decades with great success. Married, had kids yadda-yadda. Quit taking SJW over a decade ago and have been fine ever since. The moral of the story: we don't know the future but with our will and actions can create a better one. Love and Light and good Luck to you.

I guess I need to clarify a few things. I have been trying to create a life for a long time. I tried three different careers. I tried to pursue the one I wanted for all of that time. I was always nice and helpful and wanted everyone to have a better life. I was always the first one to stop to help at an accident. I was always the one to offer to pay for someone else when I could.

I was told repeatedly that this is what one does to create a decent life. Why didn't it work? I don't expect a life to be handed to me, but it is obvious that I was not meant to have one from the get-go. (I also used to take SJW. If it helped me I was not able to see it.)

Time goes on, with or without you. Memories can have joy. Food can have joy. I think if those two are lost, life has no hope. And no joy.

I believe you’ve written about your partner, who works hard to support you both. Many people have no partner, but wish they did.

When things are bleak, I try to look around and see all the real blessings that I sometimes take for granted.

For me - animals, books, the outdoors, a pretty sunrise, a butterfly, a flower, the sound of cicadas….all these things bring me joy.

If we lose sight of how fortunate most of us really are, it’s easy to only see the darkness.

Right now, just seeing the reports from Hawaii reminds me how lucky I’ve been in many ways. I remember the aftermath of Wilma, and how awful that was for us at the time - but it pales in comparison to this horrendous tragedy.

Really awful. Just the fact that everything is pretty normal right now truly brings me a lot of joy.

one looks for joy in life. It may not be easy but there are ways to find pleasure in life.

Pleasure is easy to find. And, it is fleeting. Joy.... well...

mistake. Joy brings pleasure.

You say someone suggested that one has joy but refuses to see it because one is more comfortable being sad or angry all the time.

You counter that by saying that when one is screaming about finding some joy in life, you have to say that suggestion is not valid.

I suggest that one stops screaming, and starts looking. One will find something.

Often it is a choice.

Often it is not a choice, but often it is.

I have known a few people who just love their pain. They embrace it, they remind us all that it is there, they parade it around like a war wound. I do not feel as if they are aware of the lack of joy in their lives.

Also, I have known more than a few people who had joy literally dropped into their laps. So, one can look for it, but that is not the only way for it to appear.

Music is another way to find joy.
If you give up and die, someone who really needed you will suffer more? Those are my thoughts. Read books by Thich Nhat Hanh, he was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who passed away a few years ago. He has many wise things to tell. But don't put down the book of your life until it's done. ✌🏼🌌. Oh, and puppies!