We all love happy endings. We like to see life work out. There is a story about Hollywood producer Sam Goldwyn. He once listened to director Billy Wilder describe in detail the true life story of a famous artist. Wilder thought it would make a great movie.

"Does it end happy?" Goldwyn wanted to know.

"Well," said Wilder, "it winds up with the guy in an insane asylum thinking he's a horse."

Goldwyn threw Wilder out the door. But Wilder wasn't discouraged. He poked his head back in and said, "Okay, how about if at the end the guy who thinks he's a horse...goes on to win the Kentucky Derby."

We like happy endings. We like to believe that in the end people do live happily ever after. We like to imagine a world of love and peace and harmony and compassion for one another. The way life ought…