All too true. I can be very mean about the secret fears and flaws. I spend most of my time remembering past happy moments or dreaming of a future one - I rarely have a happy moment in the present - and I know I'm a fool. I can be smart enough to see a bunch of possibilities, see the many combinations of the same few steps - but I don't always know which is true. A few are always probable. And one is pretty and what I hope to see - but another one will be my worst fear and I do my best not to be naive and gullible these days so - it's hard to be happy when you're also suspicious.

I won't conclude the worst immediately. I'll look for a sign. And the signs usually point to somewhere in between, so I'll err on the side of caution. It is difficult to be disappointed if you don't hope.

That one, I came up with.

Eve.