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This too shall pass.....

betaboybetaboy Veteran
in Buddhism Basics

This is just a cliche for most, but I am beginning to realize the utter truth of this.

As I look back and observe my life, I see how true this statement has been. For instance, I used to think that without a certain person I probably wouldn't be able to live anymore. People said the usual stuff - there are others, you'll forget about her, etc. I was baffled and thought that could never happen - my feelings were forever. Now after many years the feelings have died down completely, and if at all anything remains it may be just a little flame of longing here and there. Even that comes to the surface only occasionally.

This is just one instance. My point is, most of the things we believe to be permanent ..... are, well, not so permanent. They come, and they go. Nothing is forever. But while experiencing them, we feel they're forever, that they'll never go away. So my advice is, whenever we feel that way it is better to remember this cliche - it really helps. The thing we're experiencing - feeling, event, whatever - may last a while, but the mere remembrance (of this piece of wisdom) may help us put things in perspective.

lobsterStraight_ManyagrBunkskarastiCinorjerZeroLostSoulanataman

Comments

  • karastikarasti Breathing Minnesota Moderator

    I agree, it absolutely helps to remember it! I find myself saying it in my head often, and sometimes to my kids when they are going through stuff. It really does help to keep perspective and remember that now matter how horrible and difficult something is, it does pass. Unfortunately for young people, you mostly learn that as you get older and have more experience with it happening. For young people, they are more in the moment than we are and have less experience so it leads to more suffering and less understanding that it really will not last forever.

    For me, it also helps to keep in mind that this includes really happy times, too. Not to put happy moments in a negative light, but if you keep it in mind, you are that much more likely to make the best of it and to increase the amount of moments you choose to spend in happiness/contentedness rather than indifference.

    anataman
  • ZeroZero Veteran

    Thanks @betaboy, sound advice. I too keep that in mind and find that it puts everything into a useful context.

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