And This Too Shall Pass
seasons of life can say, “And this too
shall pass,” when misfortune strikes;
unless they are born precociously wise,
which I wasn’t, and I suffered many
indignities in my terrifying fear of
darker tomorrows. But the older I got,
with more life experience, the more
I focussed on my todays with all the
karmic awareness I could muster, so I
would have less reason to say, “And
this too shall pass.”
Composed in Tiny Beaches,
Georgian Bay, Southcentral
Ontario
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Orest Stocco’s poem explores the shift from a fear-based youth to a mindful maturity. Here is a breakdown of the core themes:
The poem
suggests that the phrase "And this too shall pass" isn't just a
cliché, but a hard-earned wisdom. Stocco argues that one needs the "four
seasons of life"—the full cycle of growth, peak, decay, and rest—to truly
believe that misfortune is temporary.
Stocco
reflects on his younger self as someone who lacked "precocious"
wisdom. Instead of seeing the big picture, he lived in "terrifying
fear" of the future. This highlights a common human experience: when we
are young, we often lack the historical data of our own lives to know that we
can survive a crisis.
The final turn is the most significant. While many
use "this too shall pass" as a way to endure suffering, Stocco aims
to grow beyond needing the phrase at all.
The Shift: He moves from reactive endurance (waiting for
bad things to end) to proactive presence ("focussed on my todays").
The
Goal: By living with "karmic awareness" (understanding
that current actions shape future outcomes), he seeks to live a life so
intentional and grounded that there is less "misfortune" to wish
away.
