Inspiration comes in many forms, and, if you’re like our artists, you may look to a famous phrase or line of vital verse to help keep you positive. But sometimes, such pep talks can feel less than genuine. When you feel that an obvious dose of perky poetry just won’t cut it, consider this familiar philosophical phrase: this too shall pass.
Say it aloud a few times, and you may feel a certain sense of detached calm. It’s like a Zen version of “go with the flow,” meaning that no matter how bad things get, they’re bound to turn around because all of existence is in flux. Whoa…heavy, right? But wait a minute—it gets heavier. When you really think about it, the phrase also means that no matter how good things are, they’ll change for the worse. So much for positive inspiration!
The phrase can be traced back to the Persian Sufi poets, and has since been credited to a nebulous “Eastern” king, who asked his court to provide a phrase that would smooth everything out, making him feel better when he was down, and bringing him down a notch when he was manic. Whether or not this fable has any basis in fact, the “Eastern” associations are probably thanks to the tenets of Buddhist enlightenment, which seeks release from the perceived, material world and the cycle of existence. In other words, it’s the realization that all of this stuff isn’t important, because the only constant is change…
And if that’s still too heavy for your taste, try this exuberant, marching band setting of the sentiment and turn that frown upside down!
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