This Too Shall Pass
Nothing is permanent. The sooner we get that, the sooner we start living.
Daylight is good at arriving at the right time
George Harrison was onto something when he penned his post-Beatles masterpiece, All Things Must Pass. The soothing music and gorgeous melody aside, Harrison’s take on the transient nature of human existence is a lesson we all need to be reminded of from time to time.
The origins of the phrase, “This too shall pass” can be debated as there’s not enough concrete evidence to pin down an exact time or person to attribute it to. Scholars seem to agree, however, that it likely came from medieval Persian poets.
Its popularity rose later on within western culture when the 19th-century English poet, Edward FitzGerald, retold old Persian fables. And then again in a political speech given by Abraham Lincoln before he became the sixteenth president of the United States.
Conversations and discrepancies of where “This too shall pass” came from aside, its power lies in its truth, not necessarily its beginnings.
“Sunset doesn’t last all evening, A mind can blow those clouds away. After all this, my love is up and must be leaving, It’s not always gonna be this grey. All things must pass. All things must pass away.”
— George Harrison, Musician, Songwriter
Allowing ourselves to believe that we are destined to remain stuck in a moment, be it a positive or negative one, is not only a detriment to our mental health and psychological well-being, it’s flat out unrealistic. The world, and certainly human behavior, doesn’t act in a manner that rewards stagnation. Remaining stuck in a mindset will never allow us to forge a path that can lead us to where we should all want to go.
Genuine happiness.
And the train kept-a-rollin
There are few things in life worse than feeling stuck. Human beings are curious creatures with the need to roam, learn, explore, and be empowered. Sitting still or watching from afar as others live life to their fullest potential isn’t a reasonable or desirable option, yet too many of us find ourselves doing just that. Why?
There are many reasons, as we’re all unique individuals with different backgrounds and experiences. That being said, we can largely blame fear for keeping our feet in cement and not allowing us to move about our lives in the ways in which we’ve always known we should. We are not living in the moment because we’re too busy regretting past decisions, or worse, worrying about the future we obviously have no knowledge of. You know what that is? That’s future trippin’. Don’t be future trippin’, it’s a waste of your precious time.
“You can’t be neutral on a moving train.”
— Howard Zinn, Author, Historian, Philosopher
Hitting the reset button and taking the time to pause in moments of great anxiety or concern affords us the opportunity to think about how we should respond to the task at hand. Saying to ourselves, “This too shall pass” gives us the chance to think about the profound truth that nothing lasts forever. Things, both good and bad, are temporary. Freezing, and being unable to move in the heat of the moment, especially in highly intense, pressurized situations, will not lead to a desired outcome.
It’s just the way it is…
We all get stuck from time to time. It’s frustrating when it happens and can be difficult to move on from. It’s at this moment we need to act. We need to loosen the grips of the fear or anxiety that’s holding us down. This is a great time to talk about what’s going on in our lives with trusted confidants. Sometimes though, the advice (or lack thereof) can make your situation worse.
How many times have we heard someone respond to a question about a serious topic or looking for guidance in a situation with “Well, this is the way it is and it will always be that way”?
The answer? Too many!
In most cases, people in your circle genuinely want to help when called upon to do so. Chances are, though, they will likely respond to your situation with commonly used phrases that don’t offer much help. This is because they’ve been told similar things when they were going through it and they’re simply continuing that cycle.
People, the ones in the throes of turmoil or the ones compelled to help, don’t always understand the situation. Sometimes we don’t even realize we’re stuck and wind up accepting poor advice such as “It is the way it is and will always be that way.”
We do not consciously choose to become or remain stuck in a negative situation. What happens when bones atrophy from lack of use? They become harder to move and will likely cause pain and discomfort. This can also happen to our psyche and cloud our better judgement if we’re not thinking clearly or positively.
Fear and anxiety can be paralyzing and incredibly frightening but that’s when we need to fight even harder.
Here’s the thing, although it can be easy to regurgitate sayings and phrases that have too often become verbal tics instead of thoughtful responses, we need to resist the comfort of ease and embrace something that has actual feeling and purpose built in. This will help us act and act quickly.
If the words “This too shall pass” resonate with you in the slightest, you should be able to weed out the ineffective and inaccurate sayings that keep us stuck in a place of fear and negativity and use the phrase to catapult us to new heights.
I act, therefore I am
If it’s imperative to shed the laziness we’ve been taught to think with, then getting yourself to move, to act in a way that enables you to begin the process of thinking differently must be something you’re willing to do.
A few steps to take:
Be mindful, meditate - Learn to observe thoughts without emotion or judgement. Recognize the transient nature with which they occur. Just a few minutes each day, dedicated to mindful meditation will train your brain to reinforce what you’re learning.
Pause and reflect - When faced with a stressful situation or when life just feels to be a bit much, take a breath and repeat the phrase, “This too shall pass”, to remind yourself the anxiety and uncomfortableness you feel in the moment will not last. Acknowledge and validate the feelings of course, but know the negativity attached to them is temporary. We talk a lot about this concept but it’s so ingrained into having a positive mindset, it’s never bad to use it again and again.
Keep a journal: Write down your thoughts and experiences as you feel them and make sure you date each entry. Then go back and see how things change from day to day, month to month, and year to year. You will find that whatever you were feeling in a moment was either resolved or simply faded away.
Create visual reminders: We live in a social media, selfie-riddled, digital world. Nothing can be as strong as a picture or video. Create a visual of the phrase, “This too shall pass”, and make it your phone or laptop wallpaper. You can go old-school and tape a written version on your refrigerator. Put the saying onto a rubber bracelet or another accessory you’ll wear and see daily. If you want the ultimate reminder, nothing says dedication to a lifestyle like a tattoo. I have “Grace” on one wrist and “Mercy” on the other as a faithful admonition as to how I want to be.
Let your eyes remind you of what your soul already knows.
Actions speak louder than words so act on these words and you will find that those old habits that are supposed to die hard, well, they’ll pass away easier than you might think.
Context matters, but it’s all still ephemeral
There are moments throughout life when certain words or phrases may feel hollow, or at least, said in bad timing. You could be grieving a deep loss, going through a traumatic event, or dealing with something that has you at one of your lowest points yet. So maybe hearing, “This too shall pass” at one of these moments might feel out of place.
Do not despair.
The phrase isn’t being used to minimize the pain, but rather as a future promise being made within yourself. Healing takes time but we will heal. Having a positive mental outlook, even if it’s working slowly will never steer you in the wrong direction.
Words of any kind aren’t magical cures but instead are offerings of patience, hope, and context.
Final thoughts (Don’t sweat the small or big stuff)
“This too shall pass”, is more than just a saying. Think of it as a co-pilot, navigating life’s peaks and valleys in the seat next to yours. Be it at the highest of highs or lowest of lows, these four words can guide you toward a healthy perspective, the ability to stay grounded, and doing it all with grace.
Allowing this one phrase to be omnipresent in your life will help you be humble in good times, feed you courage in bad times, and create a state of peace at all times.
As we know, everything in life is temporary. Perhaps though, the phrase “This too shall pass”, will continue helping people forever.
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