“Look, all I’m saying is, if we’re stuck here, then just surviving’s not gonna cut it. We need some kind of relief, you know? We need some way that we can, you know, have fun. That’s right, fun. Or else we’re just gonna go crazy waiting for the next bad thing to happen.”
— Hurley, LOST, Season 1, Episode 9 (“Solitary”)

Surviving isn’t the same as living.
Here’s the thing: constant fear and uncertainty can take an emotional toll. It’s not just the external threats that get to us — it’s the ongoing internal tension. We get trapped in anticipation, stuck in the tension between now and whatever’s next.
So joy isn’t extra — it’s essential!