The bad things in this world seem to overpower the good things. The simple fact is that there is more suffering in this world than there is happiness. More people are sad than are happy, more time in a person s life is likely to be sad than to be happy, and more time of his life is likely to be filled with problems than with rejoicing. So that people will realize that our life in this world is not the main thing. The Mesilas Yesharim writes that if a person would think that this world is the location of the final purpose and fulfillment of life, let him look around.
Many people make the mistake of thinking that they are the only ones with problems.
Everybody has problems, even the rich and successful, even the people who seem well-adjusted, fulfilled and happily married. Rabbis know this, because, in their unhappiness, many of these people turn to them for consolation. There s an old saying that misery loves company. It s usually true. Many times, when helping a person cope with his problems, it helps to tell him that he is not the only one and not the first one to contend with his problem.