Worth the People

I have been thinking about relationships. Are they really worth it?
They say the closer someone is to you, the easier it is to get hurt. And I know this. You don't have to have a broken relationship to find this out.
So why do we all do it? It hurts. Why do we make ourselves vulnerable to the pain in our hearts? Relationships are beautiful. Through them I have been encouraged, I have grown, I have learned. But sometimes I wonder.
Why do I pursue relationships that are fading? Why do I keep contact with a friend, knowing that in the end, it will come to nothing? Why do I keep calling someone to talk, when we both know that our relationship is going nowhere? Why do I even try to connect with a friend, when I know that it's more work than it's worth?
It hurts when you're so close to someone, you feel everything. The worst part is when they have no idea how they might be hurting you, and you don't have the heart to tell them.
Relationships are hard. They take work and time and effort, and that's not easy. So why do so many people spend their entire lives pursuing relationships?