I hate tragic stories

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The movie ended. As the credits started to roll, few of the people in the audience rose to leave and few broke in applaud.

A movie that makes one feel good, needs to be appreciated and what better way than to applaud, I thought.

The Great Gatsby

The movie ended. As the credits started to roll, none of the audience rose. In fact none of them even moved their heads. There was no sound of applause to be heard either. Everyone was silent and still seemed to look at the rolling credits but I bet they were all lost in their own thoughts. A couple of minutes later, people rose to leave and yet no one applauded.

A movie that engrosses one can also be appreciated in silence. A silence that echoes much louder than an applause, a sincere appreciation I realized.

*****

I hate tragic stories. Well, actually I do not hate them I just fear them.

Each time I begin reading a novel or a story, I read the first few pages and then stop and read the last few pages before continuing. It's always nice to keep the plot a mystery but then I do not want to fall in love with the idea of something to happen and then realize it doesn't. Unmet expectations gives tiny scratches to my heart and I prefer to avoid them (quite understandable, right?).

Tragic stories makes one feel sad. I never did understand why any writer would want to write a story that is so full of hope and yet ends in a tragedy.Why create an infinite amount of possibilities for a happy ever after but then end it all hopelessly?

But today, I realized something. I think most of us no matter how much we might pretend to disagree....we all want to be sad.
Being sad gives us the hope to expect for better times and the courage to expect a change.
Where as being happy makes us feel insecure of losing good times and fear change.

Maybe this is why tragic stories were and are written. The unhappy ending is just a hope for a new beginning. And the nicest thing about hope is that it lasts longer than happiness and gives the courage to face unexpected changes in life.

Ps:
There is more hope than one expects in an hopeless situation.

Happiness is overrated.

I think, each time I use the word 'hate' I actually mean to say 'fear'.

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