Extracts from an article........
King Solomon was wise and powerful beyond measure. But one day he said to his advisors 'I am too depressed in my life,'. 'When everything goes my way, I am afraid that it can't last. When things do not, I fear that my woes will never end. I have had a dream that there is a ring that contains the knowledge to give me peace of mind. Go and find that ring for me. I wish to have it by Succoth, six months from now.
His advisors searched the world over, each asking for this powerful ring that would bring the king peace of mind. They went to the finest jewelers, the richest lands.
Finally, Succoth approached. The advisors gave up. No one had ever heard of such a magical ring.
Except the youngest advisor, who found himself walking restlessly through Jerusalem all through the night. As morning dawned, he found he was in a very poor district. An old man was setting up his simple jewelry and trinkets for sale. In one last desperate attempt, the advisor described the ring. The old man thought for a while. He took out a simple plain ring and began to engrave something on it. Then handed it to the advisor. As he read the scripttt his heart leapt with joy. 'This is it!'
That evening at the Succoth feast, the king asked if they'd found the ring. 'We have,' spoke the youngest. He came forward and place the ring on the king's finger. The king looked at the ring and read the Hebrew words engraved there: “Gam Zeh Ya'avor”. ‘'This too, shall pass.' As he read, the king's sorrows turned to joy, and his joys to sorrow, and then both gave way to peace. The king was reminded in that moment that all his riches and glory were impermanent, and all his sorrows would pass away as the seasons and the years.
Nothing is permanent. Everything is temporary including our own very existence! Every moment brings you happiness or sorrow. Every stroke with the brush on our canvas of life either leads us to happiness or sorrow. Yet all us struggle to paint a permanent picture without realizing the impermanence of life here on earth. Let us understand, since there is no permanent happiness in life; there is also no permanent sorrow. Just as every valley is followed by a mountain and every day followed by night. Understand the dynamics of life and live life to the fullest. Wear the ring of "peace of mind". All of us are borne with that ring which gives tranquility and peace of mind in life. But sadly, many of us do not wear it when it is needed. we keep the ring safely in the locker lest we lose it. Lets wear it. May you be blessed with peace of mind all through your life with the mantra that "This Too Shall Pass Away!".