When “this too shall pass” isn’t what we need to hear
Sometimes healing doesn’t begin by waiting for the feeling to pass. Sometimes it begins by gently meeting ourselves where we are. I’ve always struggled with the saying, “this too shall pass.” I understand why we say it. Usually, it comes from a place of kindness. We want to reassure someone who is hurting. We want them to know that difficult feelings won’t necessarily last forever. And perhaps, in time, they won’t. But sometimes those words can unintentionally move us away from what is actually happening. Because when we are overwhelmed, anxious, frightened, emotionally flooded or shut down, we are experiencing something right now. Our body is responding in the present moment. And sometimes that response may be connected to something much older. When the present activates something from the past There are moments when our emotional response can feel much bigger than the situation in front of us. A conversation. A particular tone of voice. Feeling rejected. S...
