Serenity Sunday

I think we have all heard the saying, “This too shall pass“, well I know I have and whenever someone would say it to me deep inside it pissed me off. I would think they sure have a lot of nerve telling giving me this “profound” advice, because they have no idea what I am going through and it doesn’t feel like it’s ever going to pass. So the other day I was tag surfing and came upon a blog called,  “Who Knew” and the title of that post was, yup you guessed it, “This to shall pass“.  And I read the story and decided I would put it into my own words and post it for Serenity Sunday. The story helped me make sense of a saying I had heard often, but never really quite understood. It put the idea into perspective for me. It’s kind of long, but worth reading. You can read the original post here. What follows is my own version.

Once upon a time in a great city far away there lived a great King. He had riches beyond his wildest dreams and anything he desired was his. With all of his wants fulfilled he began to wish he could understand life. So he called together all of the wisest men in his kingdom and asked them to tell him the secret to getting through any situation. For he was wise and knew that there may come a time when his life might change and he would need to know what to do. 

For many months the wise men contemplated the King’s question and after much meditation they received the answer. 

When they presented the King with their findings, they did it upon the condition that he only look at the answer in dire circumstances and until then he must save it in a hidden place to which only he had access. 

The King was surprised when they handed him a small folded piece of paper, and although he wanted to open it and read it, he did as he had promised and hid it underneath the diamond in his ring. A place only he had access too. 

A day soon came when the King’s castle was under attack and he was driven out of the city. Angry troops were on his trail and he rode as fast as he could in search of safety. Indeed, he was in fear for his life and looked only for a safe haven to escape his own death. At long last there was a fork in the road, he took it, but found that it lead to the edge of a cliff that offered no exit unless he wanted to plummet into a rocky crevice hundreds of feet below. He heard the hoof-beats of the soldiers in the distance and for the first time in his life he was afraid. 

He looked over the edge of the cliff. As he did sunlight glinted off his diamond ring and he remembered there was a message there! He took out the small piece of paper and read the answer: 

“This too shall pass.” 

He read it twice more: 

“This too shall pass.”

“This too shall pass.” 

He realized the profundity in those four words. For just days ago he had been a great King whose every desire was granted yet today he was running for his life from troops who wanted to do him harm. He looked around for the first time taking in the vast beauty of his surroundings and realized he had never been to this place before. If he had not been driven towards it he would not have known it was part of his kingdom. He was filled with a deep sense of awe and peace and knowingness which overwhelmed him. He lost track of time and forget about his fear. He soon noticed the sound of the troops was off in the distance far away from him and he was able to creep back to his castle and start anew. 

He rebuilt his Kingdom and conquered his enemies and once again established a life of riches. There was a great celebration for his success and all was well. As he stood in the middle of his courtyard observing all he had achieved, his ego spoke, saying, “I am a great man and I can never be defeated again, all that I observe is mine.” He smiled to himself and drank from his goblet gloating over his conquests! 

But then during a downward glance he caught sight of the sun shinning on his Diamond ring and he remembered the message and the great knowledge hidden underneath. 

“This too shall pass.” 

And he grew solemn. He was humbled by a barrage of thoughts. If this too shall pass, than it shall never be mine. I can observe it. I can see my life as it is now, always knowing that it can change in an instant. For life is filled with great joy and great sorrow and I shall embrace it all as the perceiver of what comes and goes, for this too shall pass.