"Suffering is a short pain and a long joy."
-Heinrich Seuse, German mystic

Which is life - suffering or joy? And why is suffering connected with joy? Cannot, is not, suffering the impetus of joy? How else would we know joy were it not for suffering. Perhaps the suffering is that joy does not last long enough, because many are too busy seeking suffering. Joy exists, waving like a banner in the hand of a child or the tightened fist of a warrior, for those who seek it, who grasp it, who expose it for all to see. This joy is nothing more than what lies inside - our spine is the rod that supports the banner of our mind.