This too shall pass.
We often offer or receive these words as consolation when things aren’t going well.
Facing disappointment. Going through a difficult patch in life. In a rut.
It was a common refrain at the height of the pandemic.
This too shall pass.
In this context it’s meant to make us feel better, to bring us a measure of optimism.
Cheer up. This too shall pass. Better days await you.
You likely don’t need to stretch much to imagine saying this to someone who is going through a hard time.
Now imagine offering or receiving these words at a peak moment.
The height of celebration. The pinnacle of achievement. Riding the wave of joy.
This too shall pass.
It lands a bit differently, at least for me.
And yet it’s no less true in this context.
Nothing lasts forever.
The peak becomes the trough; the trough becomes the peak.
We are not meant to stay at the peak all the time. There is value in the low moments as well.
Our goal is to be present to the moment.
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