It's the illusion of progress. Staying awake isn't progress.

The young have aspirations that never come to pass, the old have
reminiscences of what never happened.

An ion walks into a bar and says "I think I left an electron here last night", and the bartender says "Are you positive?"

If it weren't for electricity we'd all be watching television by candlelight.
- George Gobel

The legend of mercy stabbing your companion dying beside you in the vide of the desert—it's touching
—Christopher Ryan

The center is missing, the original is gone, all that I try to form around it may not resemble the original much.

It was when he reached a trembling hand out to touch me that I started laughing. Leg broke and elbow busted, half torn to shreds, I bawled out cackling.