Anything that smiles often needs to be reminded that the world is a cruel, dark place.
They assume my status is binary: either I'm a joyous triumph, or I'm a miserable wretch. They recognize no spectrum, only two states of being: happy and unhappy. But I've never felt 'happy.' I've felt joy. I've felt bliss. But those feelings are ephemeral. Being 'happy' implies permanence. It implies you completed all the prerequisites. And now you get to sit atop of your giant pile of happy, forever.
