Dear friends,
Over the years I have encouraged people to remember the phrase this too shall pass.
It is something to keep in mind in the good times and the bad.
The phrase has helped to keep me grounded at times when things were going more than well and it has avoided me falling into gloom when faced with difficult or worrying situations.
But I have come across an expression that I think will be more helpful to you as it has proved to be helpful to me and this we shall have a think about during this meditation.
But let's begin by bringing ourselves to a place of quiet and calm in our frequently too busy world.
Close your eyes if you find it helpful to do that but in any event make a decision now to relax,
To come into this present moment and allow yourself to simply be.
Leave aside the to-do list for now.
With new tasks popping onto it and completed tasks being crossed off all the time,
The to-do list is a never-ending part of life.
You can be sure it will be there when you come back to it in a few minutes.
So for now let's pause for one minute and enjoy being present in the here and the now.
Welcome back.
I have pinned a notice to the dashboard of my car which reads when things are bad remember it won't always be this way.
Take one day at a time.
When things are good remember it won't always be this way.
Enjoy every great moment.
Although this notice has been attached to my car for a number of years it has taken a long time for the message to really sink in with me.
I have found myself still operating on the reliable old mantra this too shall pass.
But in recent times I've come to realise the importance of the expression it won't always be this way.
When I look back over the years before my fortunate introduction to meditation I realise that it never occurred to me that this too shall pass.
Never mind this newer mantra that I'm recommending to you now.
I look back at so many times of unappreciated happiness and so many times of pointless worry.
Now with the wisdom of the wasted years I realise how much better life would have been had I been aware of the idea it won't always be this way.
I think of the relationships with people now past that would have been enhanced by that approach and I recall the worries that could have been avoided so many worries if I had only realised it won't always be this way.
Now I'm not a person prone to regret nor am I suggesting that you should be such a person but we can all learn lessons from our past and these lessons when learned can make for a better future.
I just mention this part of my unmindful history in order to promote the idea of this lately discovered mantra and the world of difference that it offers to all of us.
Let's pause for another minute now.
Welcome back.
It won't always be this way.
If you and I could approach our days with this attitude what a difference it would make to our lives.
We'd notice and appreciate all that is good,
All the people that mean so much to us and we'd be more thankful for all that we have and more resilient in dealing with the few things and more resilient in dealing with the few things that we might lack.
It won't always be this way is an expression opening us to a world of appreciation.
It will enable us to cope with calls that are made upon our time and we'll be better able to deal with interruptions that unexpected visit that we might otherwise feel upsets our schedule.
People are more important than schedules.
This mantra will allow us to look at our friends with a new spirit of appreciation as we make our way through this unique day in this never to be repeated wonderful present moment.
I'll allow the music to continue for a little while after this meditation ends and that will give you an opportunity to reflect on these thoughts and see how you might apply them to your life.
May the mantra it won't always be this way prove to be a life-changing and life-enhancing message for you today and every day.
May your life be blessed.
Namaste
