Just because I had a stressful week doesn't mean I lead a complicated life. I honestly don't know anyone whose life is less complicated than mine. I look around and see people making difficult choices and trying to define themselves and I wonder. What's wrong with me? My life is so simple.

That's why I watch movies, I guess, and TV shows with recurring characters. I don't mean just soap operas, but I'll unashamedly admit to following along with the lives of fictional characters, day after day. That's why I read novels instead of self-improvement books, which might do me more good. If I can get inside the head of a well-drawn character, maybe I'll get a taste of what most humans call real life.

Don't think I'm complaining, because I'm not. I like my simple life. My problems are on a scale that I'm equipped to handle, more or less. I wouldn't feel connected, though, if I didn't have a way into other, more complex lives. I think a big part of living in a civilized society is being able to imagine yourself in someone else's situation. The deeper we can let our understanding explore, the better we're able to live together in a shrinking world.

We're interested in other people's lives. That's why we gossip, but it's also why we read online journals. You can't listen to someone's voice, day after day, and not feel some degree of empathy. The more connections we make, the better off we are — and the better off the world is.