We've all heard it before, haven't we? Usually from a well-meaning friend (making it more difficult to be sour about it!) trying to console us during a rough patch or worse (or better!), a self-help guru peddling their latest book on inner peace. Those four little words that are supposed to bring us solace and perspective: "This too shall pass."
But have you really stopped to think about how utterly maddening that phrase is? I have, and let me tell you, it's a rabbit hole (I mean, what isn't?!)
First, let's start with my primary enemy- the concept of "passing." Now, I don't know about you, but when I hear the word "pass," I immediately envision something moving by, like a parade or a kidney stone or a fart in a crowded elevator (not the best analogy). But life's challenges rarely "pass" by in a neat, orderly fashion. They linger, they fester, they sometimes breed and infest, and they stick around like the annoying guest who never gets the hint to leave.
And then there's the implied promise that whatever the "this" is, it will eventually end. But how can we be so sure? What if this particular "this" is actually a permanent state of affairs? What if we're doomed to a lifetime of bad haircuts, soul-crushing jobs, more soul-crushing job searches and existential dread? Thanks for the reassurance, oh wise phrase!
But perhaps the most infuriating aspect of "this too shall pass" is its utter unhelpfulness in the present moment. Sure, whatever we're going through might eventually come to an end, but what are we supposed to do in the meantime? What am I to do NOW? Sit around twiddling my thumbs and waiting for the sweet release of "passing"?
"This too shall pass" promises much but delivers little. It's a philosophical platitude masquerading as profound wisdom when, in reality, it's about as deep as a puddle on a sunny day. Because sometimes, the only thing that seems to pass indeed is my patience for such well-intentioned but ultimately unhelpful advice.
To be fair, I do see the appeal (very briefly, very rarely) - perhaps there's a glimmer of hope in "this too shall pass" after all. (What's the fun in ranting if you don't reluctantly find a silver lining to contradict yourself with?) While the phrase may not offer an immediate solution to your current woes (unless your woe is listening to someone drone on about how unhelpful the phrase is), it does remind us that nothing is permanent – not the good, not the bad, not even that pesky relentless foot cramp that seems to resurface every time you try to enjoy a peaceful night's sleep.
There is a bit of comfort in the "Hey, you know this awful situation you're in right now? The one that's causing you to seriously consider investing in an emotional support llama? Well, chin up, because it won't last forever!" And who knows? The next "this" might just be the one we've been waiting for – like finally being able to afford that llama, after all.
When I'm in the depths of despair, "this too shall pass" can feel just as comforting as a firm pat on the back from a cactus, but sometimes (just sometimes) it seems like a mildly amusing distraction that might come along to carry me through.
Well, even though the ups and downs of life have left me utterly bewildered and exhausted, I can always cling to the knowledge that at the very least, this rant about how unhelpful (and yet, somehow helpful?) the phrase "this too shall pass" is will eventually, well, you know...pass too.
