First, we are born. A lot of random stuff happens to us. Finally, we die.
Life doesn’t come with a user manual, does it? We don’t know how we got here, how long we will be here, or what we are supposed to do while we’re here. Nobody has life completely figured out. Nobody has all the answers.
Life is random and chaotic, and full of uncertainty. We have no idea what the future can bring. We have no idea what situation we may find ourselves in tomorrow.
Sometimes, you might find life proceeding exactly the way you want it to. Your personal relationships are going great. Your career is fantastic. Everything seems nearly perfect. You’re on a permanent high. Then, after some time passes, one thing starts to go wrong. And then another thing, and another thing. Before you know it, the bubble has burst and your ideal life starts to fall apart. You get plunged right back into chaos and uncertainty.
Conversely, sometimes in life, you enter a dark phase and things are just going all wrong for you. Your relationships are in tatters, your career is a disaster. You don’t know what to do and you can’t see any way out. You feel lost and helpless. Then, after some time passes, a small ray of hope appears. You grab on to it. Then, one thing starts to go your way. And then another thing, and another thing. A path emerges in front of you. Before you know it, the dark shadow has passed by. You feel relaxed, peaceful and happy.
And so it goes on and on. The wheel in the sky keeps on turning. The wheel of fortune that is.
King Solomon once had an exquisite golden ring made and he wanted to inscribe some words on it. He called the wisest sages of the land and asked them to come up with words such that they will always be true, no matter who has the ring, where they are or what time in history. If a happy person looks at it, he should forget his joy and if a sad person looks at it, he should forget his sorrow.
The words inscribed on the ring were: “This too shall pass.”
The realization that everything is temporary can be liberating. If nothing lasts, why worry about what will happen tomorrow or dwell about what happened yesterday? None of it will matter.
In our daily lives, we will feel joy, excitement, sorrow, pain, anger. We will find ourselves in all kinds of different situations. We will go through many varied journeys. However, in the background of our consciousness, if we can hold on to the realization of the fleeting nature of all things, it will give us a sense of peace.
So all you have to do, is to keep breathing. Be present in this moment. Enjoy the journey, whatever journey you find yourself on. And remember that this too shall pass.
