Hello there.
Thank you so much for joining me for this reading of another classic parable.
This one is known as the King and the Ring,
And although its exact historical origin isn't certain,
It's generally considered to be a tale from the Middle East.
This story is very much in the narrative of this too shall pass,
Which is certainly one of my favourite phrases and concepts in life.
Another way perhaps we might say that or hear that in a more kind of modern context might be,
Don't sweat the small stuff,
And it's all small stuff.
This concept that things that we might feel stressed about right now,
Can completely change and in some years from now we are maybe going to look back and laugh at those things.
Ultimately everything changes and everything passes.
So perhaps it serves us better to try to not take things quite so seriously in life and do our best to enjoy them.
So before we get into this charming little story here,
Let's just take a moment to have a nice deep Exhale.
Letting go of the day.
Letting go of whichever baggage you might be bringing along with us into this moment.
For right now,
There's nowhere else we have to go and nothing else we have to be doing.
So we can just relax,
Get ourselves comfortable.
And enjoy another classic old parable.
The king and the ring.
There was once a king.
Who was troubled by the way his emotions ruled him.
When things went well,
He became so happy that he could hardly contain his joy.
And when things went badly,
He became so distressed that he could think of nothing else.
He asked the wise people in his kingdom to find him something that would help him remain steady.
Give me a piece of wisdom,
He said,
That will comfort me when I'm suffering.
But also remind me to stay humble.
When I am happy.
The wise men thought.
For a long time.
At last,
They brought the king.
A simple ring.
Wear this,
They told him,
And whenever you are in trouble,
Look at what is written on it.
The king turned the ring over.
There,
Engraved inside it,
Were four simple words.
This,
Too,
Shall pass.
The king kept the ring.
And many times over the years,
He looked at those words.
When he lost something he loved.
He looked at the ring.
When someone disappointed him.
Looked at the ring.
When he was frightened about the future.
He looked at the ring.
And each time,
The words reminded him that whatever he was experiencing would not last forever.
And the ring had another purpose.
There were times when the king was prosperous and successful.
He was praised by everyone around him.
His kingdom was flourishing.
His victories were celebrated.
And at those moments.
He looked at the ring,
Too.
This too.
Shall pass.
His triumphs would pass.
His troubles would pass.
Pleasures would pass.
His sorrows would pass.
Everything was moving.
Nothing could be held forever.
And gradually,
The king learned to meet both happiness and difficulty.
With a little more.
Ease.
He still felt sorrow when sorrow came.
He still felt joy when joy came.
But now he understood that a moment is just.
A moment.
And that whatever we are going through right now however wonderful or terrible it may seem.
Is only one small part.
Of a life that is still unfolding.
So perhaps if we find ourselves in a tumult about something terribly important,
We might pause for a moment.
Take a breath.
And remember.
This too.
Ciao!
Pass.
