Love that Line: The problem with joy

Once, back in my twenties, all I wanted

to do was to throw my life away.

But then, somehow, usually by accident,

you experience joy. And the problem

with joy is that it binds you to life;

it makes you greedy

for more happiness.

 — Charles Baxter
from The Cousins
appearing in The 2010 Best American Short Stories

Comments

[Fred]

Ahh, the illumination of the shorts. Thank you.

[Drew]

You said it, Fred. Sometimes a short story is just about all I need.