Weltschmerz

Many years ago, when I was going through some of the darkest times of my life, I came up with a theory.  I was searching for an explanation for why I had to go through so much hell, particularly when so many others seemed to have it so easy.  My life has not been all bad, and, comparatively speaking, I’ve had it downright easy.  But nonetheless, pain, anxiety, and depression have been my frequent companions.

While things at times seemed overwhelming, I’ve always had a central belief that we never have more on our plates than we can handle (though I do admit that that belief is not absolute; I have known some who were faced with difficulty that they, sadly, could not overcome.  We may be strong, but that doesn’t mean that strength is limitless.).  I consider myself a strong person, but I have friends and family members that have gone through things that I’m not sure I could ever endure.  But these things all made me wonder: why does pain and hardship seem to be a magnet to some people, yet not to others?  Yes, we all go through plenty of difficulty in our lives, but some seem to go through much more.  Certainly, much of it comes from our own choices, but I’ve often asked myself if there is something more to this, if there is a reason that this is so.  After all, if everything happens for a reason, then there must be a reason that some of us go through much more than others, right?