The sting of universal sadness

..There was a man once who was suffering from profound melancholy. He went to see the best doctors of his day and every one of those doctors failed to help him. He finally came to the office of a leading doctor, a healer of the soul. The doctor suggested to his patient that perhaps he could find solace, and the end of his melancholy, in love. The man responded that love was no problem for him, that he was loved perhaps like no one else in the world. The doctor's next suggestion was that maybe the patient should undertake a voyage and see other parts of the world. The man responded that without exaggeration he had been in every corner of the world. The doctor recommended hobbies like the arts, sports, etc. The man responded to every one of his recommendations in the same terms: He had done that and had had no relief. The doctor suspected that the man was possibly an incurable liar. He couldn't have done all those things as he claimed. But being a good healer, the doctor had a final insight.
"Ah!", he exclaimed, "I have the perfect solution for you, sir. You must attend a performance of the greatest comedian of our day. He will delight you to the point where you will forget every twist of your melancholy. You must attend a performance of the Great Garrick!"
The man looked at the doctor with the saddest look you can imagine and said, "Doctor, if that's your recommendation, I am a lost man. I have no cure. I am the Great Garrick!"...

Story taken from 'The Active Side of Infinity' by Carlos Castaneda