This Too Shall Pass

Every year, I've always dreaded the 4th of July weekend. For the past 6-7 years, I've spent that weekend in Seattle for the annual Tao summer youth retreat. I hate thinking about going because I'm always forced to go. But somehow, by the time I get out, I always feel like I've gained something valuable.

This year was no exception.

Among the jargon-filled lectures over the 2-day period, I've found a time of self-reflection. The retreat has always helped me put things into perspective. As we live our busy lives the other 363 days of the year, we eventually forget the reasons why we've met the people we've met, done the things we've done, gone the places we've gone.

Sure, we may consider these things our independent actions, but perhaps it's something bigger than us - fate. Fate doesn't mean that things will just happen. How we live every moment is a choice. And our individual choices will determine the track our lives take. It's like a choose-your-own-adventure story. And with every action we take, there will be results and consequences - whether it be now, 10 years from now, 200 years from now.

I think the hardest thing to do is to understand and to have faith. It's something so fragile and intangible that it's beyond us. But upon reflection, that's all there is left when we leave this world for another, until we return to our true home.

A lecturer brought up the quote "This too shall pass." It struck a solemn note deep inside me. Whatever riches, joys, and troubles we feel now will pass because when we leave this world, we can't take any of that with us. Instead, all we will have is our souls. The purpose of our time here is to cultivate our souls as much as we can so that one day, in another lifetime, we may reach the merits of sage-hood. Using this as a framework to make our choices isn't something easy to do or to understand.

There are still many things I have yet to grasp. Call the BS Card on me, but I hope that one day I find the courage and wisdom to help the people closest to me "see the light," so to speak; to help them cultivate their merits, and to understand and appreciate the complexities that life has in store.