This Too Will Pass...

Last week I spent time with 2 persons in different locations, who are terminally ill. Detailing of their sickness is complex and painful, hence I'll avoid. Both of them want to live longer despite acute pain. Siblings are doing their best, while accepting the inevitable. Atmosphere around the rooms is thick with depression and frustration.

I started pondering about life. I remember once I asked from a mentor, 'what is life's meaning?'
'Life is bubble' he said ' radiant and opulent, fills our hearts with joy. It can burst at any time though'

I remember a story by Ajahn Brahm.
There was a prisoner, who was afraid and depressed. Stone walls, collision of steel when iron gates closed, dried any hope he had in life. Then he saw something on his cell wall. Some one has scratched few words.

This too will pass

He looked at the words every time he lost hope, and carried on. On the day of his release he understood the truth of these words. He had completed his time. Jail too has passed.

Even after jail term, bad times came. He had the message written on his bedside, on his work desk, and in his car. He endured the bad times, looking at the message. Then came the good times. Yet he understood that good times too will pass. Hence he enjoyed them, but never carelessly. So he carried on taking nothing for granted. The good times seems to last longer than bad times.

When he got cancer ' this too will pass' gave him hope. Hope gave him strength and positive attitude that cured cancer. One day the doctor confirmed 'cancer too has passed'.

At the end, on his deathbed he whispered to his loved ones, 'this too will pass', and settled easily to death.
His family learnt from him that 'this grief too shall pass'
Depression is a prison we ourselves create.
'This too will pass' helps us to avoid the crucial cause of depression - taking good times for granted.

Having said this, it is extremely hard to put this in to practice. We are tested, when a very closed one is ill.