My friend used to have this little story that he used to read when he felt that way. I shall try and remember it but I'll warn you I'm not very good with telling stories.

The notion is that...
There is this kind of universal / group / mass consciousness that we were all a part of before we were born and that we will all reunite with after we die. I think Jung believed something like this... Anyway... Maybe heaven is kinda like that or something. Then little parts of the mass consciousness break off to become embodied... Why would you choose to be born a life of misery? Maybe because... If you did then other people wouldn't have to.

Dammit. That isn't sounding so uplifting the way I tell it.

I have trouble with some of the mass consciousness stuff and choosing which body you get and co...

But the notion is that one would choose out of empathy to others and those who suffer... Are often better placed in the world to truly help other people through there suffering.

Dunno