merely being alive... or the will to smile...

"I don't think anyone is born knowing the reason why they're here. It's just something you have to find as you go along..."

"Can you understand? Not having a dream ... not being needed by anyone ... the pain of merely being alive...?"

"All that I can do now is watch over them, so that they don't make the same mistakes. So that they don't lose the will to smile..."

-from "Fruits Basket" (フルーツバスケット, Furūtsu Basuketto) by Takaya Natsuki (高屋 奈月)