How do you cope?

It's easy to assume that you have it the worst -- that absolutely noone can understand or begin to comprehend a certain aspect or aspects of your life. At times, we isolate ourselves or try to adopt a way of life similar to Shinji Ikari, just as a means to cope or escape from reality. However, humans have two inescapable sides to themselves -- our need of seclusion and our incapability to be alone, a double-edged sword, if you will. There is no one side that is optimal or safe, nor is there any combination that will suffice. Shinji's "Porcupine Dilemna" as described by Dr. Ritsuko Akagi from Evangelion, is one example.

No true path in life exists. Life is how one copes or responds to external, as well as, internal stimuli. We already know the outcome of the war -- death. But the battles we face is what gives most a false sense of value and hope. The ending release is nothing but that...acquired freedom that can never be appreciated. And yet, despite all this, we continue to live and persevere. Is it ignorance? Or is it another mechanism to live out our lives? Whatever the reason, most have already forgotten or choose to forget it.

Believing that the grass is always greener on the other side or believing that you/I above all else, is suffering the most, is yet another mechanism of life. As long as we believe that we are experiencing the worst-case scenarios, we can believe that there will always be a better place, hope that there is something better.

We strive to connect so as to relieve the tension called Life, but the war is ultimately with the Self. Oddly enough, with our huge population expanding over the vast planet, we still cannot truly connect. Indeed, perhaps Seele, Nerv, and Gendo Ikari had it right with their Instrumentality Project.

How do you cope?