I feel down sometimes, letting things that are outside my control, control my happiness. But then I take comfort reading HN. Because I find here a community of like minded individuals, all trying to take their little sparks of creativity, nuture them with passion and hard work, and someday hope to create Lightening. So many of us fail. But I think it is a bigger injustice to our souls, to shut out the sparks, every time they buzz a little in our brains. Instead of thinking of the end result, relish the times you spent genuinely Loving what you were doing, long nights spent in the service of the Gods of code, meals forgotten because of ingenious ideas being hashed out on whiteboards. Because you were truly Alive then, and no one can take that feeling away from you. Close your eyes, think about the good times, take strength from the rest of us, some who have struggled just like you. If you have financial or societal pressures, get a day job and 'fit in' for a bit. But NEVER shut the sparks out!