This too shall pass
Often we are faced with situations in life that create emotions like fear, anxiety, worry, depression, and on and on. It’s not inherently in the situation itself that lies these emotions, it’s basically our response to it. We find it difficult to deal with the “stress” caused by these situations.
I read a story about how a King wanted an inscription on his ring with a statement that would make him happy when he’s sad and sad when he’s happy. A wise man inscribed on his ring the words “And this too, shall pass away”.
I really like this statement. It talks about the temporariness and ephemeral nature of situations and events. Nothing lasts forever, life goes up and down constantly. We should strive to be centered and balanced from within through the constant changes in the winds of life. This line helps us in achieving just that. What it really does, is it frees us from our own attachments, which are basically entrapments. Our attachments enslave us, and that’s an important ingredient for misery.
The only constant changes. The most permanent thing is Impermanence. There’s a constant state of flux everywhere. Just look at this year, 2020. This virus completely changed everything, on top of that there’s a disaster much more serious than the virus, climate change. All these situations are making us re-think how we’ve been living, and we are realizing how we miss those little things we had taken for granted. Human interaction has taken center stage because of the social distance required. We are all facing a challenge that will define our future based on how we respond to it now.
We need to take life as it comes, play this game of life without being attached to the good times, and without trying to avoid the bad times. So next time you find yourself low, or too happy, arm yourself with this simple and profound truth, “And this too shall pass away”.
