Thanks, all of you. I've long felt that this feeling of complete sacrifice must be shared by lots of people and your comments prove that's true.

On one hand, this is such a small thing. A simple truth ultimately faced by everyone. It's so common that we don't even talk about it. And yet, on the other hand, that this is so universal makes it one of the biggest issues we face in life. And I find myself wondering, why don't we prepare people for it?

Instead of filling children's heads with a sense of limitless possibilities and the certainty that they'll really enjoy their lives, we should be honest with them and tell them that life is an endless series of sacrifices and compromises that are so numerous and relentless that ultimately they consume you. In the end, we are a ghost of ourselves and our only hope is that those we love have a better time of it than we did.

I know, I know. We don't tell them that because it's cruel. And because we know they'll learn the sad truth soon enough.

I should have known it but I have a really bad cold. My anxiety converts to overwhelming depression whenever I get sick; so much so that I could use it as physiological forecasting tool if only I remembered that this always happens to me.

So I can take some comfort in the fact that this illness will pass and I'll find my way back to my usual self. Everything I've written in this thread will still be true, but I'll have an easier time ignoring it and finding moments to indulge dreams that refuse to die.

Thanks again, everyone.

Cyran0