While the origins are not well known, a story was first documented in the early 19th century. It tells of a sultan who asked a wise Sage for an inscription to be placed on his ring which would help him through both good times and bad.
The sage inscribed the words “And this, too, shall pass away”.
This phrase, more commonly expressed in writing and a popular song as “This too shall pass”, perfectly captures the impermanence of all things, the relentless and unstoppable human condition – we all are born, we grow, we experience emotion, we aspire to be more, we deal with conflict and we die. We are impermanent, but so are our troubles, what may keep us awake at night one week, will barely factor into our thoughts the next. Nobody on their deathbed regrets not spending more time worrying. Live life without worry, regret & concern for the trivial. Enjoy the impermanence of things, to fight the march of time is the height of folly. If life gets you down, this, too, shall pass away.
Your life is a road through rolling hills, you cannot slow down your progress along it and you are not always the one at the wheel. But you can can choose to look out of the window and enjoy the view, stare toward the unknown horizon with optimism and excitement.