In the blink of an eye, this too shall pass

In the blink of an eye, this too shall pass

By: Brad Hurvitz

Posted: 6/3/10

This article will be read in what seems like a blink of an eye.

I have two rings that I wear on occasion; one of them is titanium and I use it to pry open non twist-off caps from beer bottles.

The other ring has a different reason for being around my finger. Inscribed on it is an idea I have thought about constantly over the past six years since I first heard it. The background story of this saying is memorable and provides a bit of humor.

It is told that thousands of years ago, Israel’s King David sent his most trusted servant on an impossible mission: to find the ring that would be able to make a poor man happy and a rich man sad.

After months of searching in the wrong places, and within hours of his final deadline, the servant asked a poor jeweler if he had heard of this ring.

The jeweler nodded with a slight smile and made him the ring immediately. The servant brought it to King David, who laughed when he was handed the ring.

The king then began to cry when he read it. The ring said, “This too shall pass.”

In my glass-half-full perspective, this saying has only provided me with happiness. In the difficult times, when a situation is too taxing to handle, or if it causes a heavy heart, I remember that this too shall pass, and before I know it, I will be in a comfortable spot with those I care about.

Before I know it, I will not be on a 15-hour plane ride while sitting next to a behemoth woman who hides the armrest with her layers of forearm.

I will not be sitting on an Indian bus that smells like rotting meat, and watching an elderly woman a few rows in front of me vomit out of the window.

I will not be hitchhiking in a van in Jordan, hiding my Jewish identity, and frightened when the police pull us over.

I will not have food poisoning and be throwing up in the middle of a busy Nepali street as 20 people circle around me to watch.

I will not be mentally exhausted from studying for many hours straight for my finals; if anything, this thought will push me the extra distance to study longer and harder.

After all of the difficult events have indeed passed, I am here right now, writing this article for the newspaper, happy those tough times are behind me.

The same can said about the other side of the coin. In those moments where you are the happiest, you must remind yourself that this too shall pass, and you should take advantage of those fantastic times.

Those moments you spend with your friends and family. Those times when things are going your way. Being in college and studying a subject you enjoy. Having the diverse benefits of being on a college campus. Being able-bodied enough to run a marathon, participate in a triathlon or test your physical endurance.

I understand this could initially seem to be a pessimistic outlook on the transient nature of time, but it is just the opposite.

Our youth is short-lived; we must understand this and take advantage of it. As we get older, our motivations and opportunities will change. Take a look at the things you are currently passionate about and make sure you dedicate yourself to these passions.

Can you remember your first day at OSU? I bet you can recall, in vivid detail, your first interaction with your freshman roommate.

Time has passed, and it will continue to tick away. How will you spend your fleeting time?

The difficult moments in life will pass, as will the wonderful moments. It may have taken you a few minutes to read this article, but that time folds together to seem as fast as a blink of an eye.

Study hard, play hard, live every second of every day and make sure you take advantage of your current opportunities, and remember that this too shall pass.

It has been a pleasure sharing my thoughts with you all; I hope they have been of interest to you. Feel free to contact me with any travel questions over the summer (www.abroadmarketeer.com).

Cheers.
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