You ain't just whistlin' dixie.
It makes it hugely difficult to give people the credit they deserve, when you've seen what happens when you give them /more/ than they deserve... I think that's my biggest problem... Granted, by being a cynic I haven't been so deeply hurt since, but neither have I enjoyed life so much as I did before things went bad, there.

Then again, my joy ultimately proved to be based on an illusion.

I guess the big question is whether I think it'd be worth it to open up enough to try and find similar joy based in reality... Provided that's even possible... I have no idea whether or not it is...