I met a wonderful lady, Sharon J. Hamovitz, at a Writers Workshop held at the Monroeville Pa Public Library in June of this past summer. She handed me a business card bearing the outrageous but effective saying above which is the name of her website. I have used this adage many times when I am overwhelmed or frustrated. The irreverent humor of the first phrase especially lightens up what would have been a touchy situation. I have shared the quote with others in similar dire situation and they just crack up and its message immediately changes any depressing perspective of life they are having at that time.
At first, I had a hard time getting to Sharon's website since I misplaced the business card which had exactly her website's url address. In the process of looking for it online I happened to see a Wikepedia entry on the more classic last phrase, "this too shall pass". It turns out this familiar line has a rich history dating back to the medieval ages and has been quoted by the great Abraham Lincoln in one of his speeches.
The phrase is attributed to the writings of the Medieval Persian Sufi poets who told a fable of a great king who inscribed this on a ring to remind him that all material conditions, positive or negative, are temporary. "It has the ability to make the happy man sad and the sad man happy". As Abraham Lincoln said on September 30, 1859, in an address before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society in Milwaukee. " ':..And this, too, shall pass away.' How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction!"
I hope you remember this quote in good times and especially bad times. Do not forget the outrageous first part for the latter.
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