"I often wonder about the relationship between pain and creating.  In the bible it says that God created the world out of darkness and chaos. In the Hebrew version, it says that God began his work out of emptiness and futility. That always seemed to answer the question for me. Although, God was able to transform darkness and chaos into something he referred to as being 'very good'. So perhaps it's our duty to be the gods of our own emptiness and transform our darkness and chaos into something 'very good'."
~Wade Ryff, to me, via email