Don’t Stress
“Everything is temporary, don’t stress”
A dear friend sent this post. It’s one of those clever quotes that populate IG and other media platforms, offering quick solutions to complicated emotional issues. However, I was intrigued with this one. On one hand it is correct as most seemingly challenging times do pass rather quickly. A car breakdown, a glass of milk spilled, a flight cancelled and so forth. Many of our difficulties that we stress about pass quickly, although in the moment they are dominant and literally take over our focus and emotional strength.
The phrase does not address the intractable problems that appear to last forever. Think of those that are living in war zones or countries that are struggling at every intersection of life. People living with difficult illnesses and are fighting for life. Problems that are temporary but where temporary has a far different definition and time line than my cancelled flight.
What struck me about this phrase is that the good things in life are also temporary as in life itself. I am far more stressed about the frailty of the wonderful things that life offers. Perhaps that is because I have a lot of good things and who wants the good things to be temporary. I stress about that because I am aware of my good fortune. I am stressed about the fact that stress is taking away some of the joy of the positives that life offers. The lack of permanence of those things is stressful and that stress cannot be as easily assuaged as the promise that this traffic jam is temporary and I will be on my way to a fun dinner with friends.
I think this phrase was intended to help people move through the challenging times. Indeed, there is some comfort in knowing those issues and problems will be temporary.
However, the good things ----- love, friendship, happiness and the pure joy of being with friends and family --- the temporal nature of those things is far more stressful and unfortunately far more enduring. Remember to appreciate all that is good for as long as it is…..
Just a thought ??? ----- I might have too much time on my hands today!!!