The quote, in itself, is simple. The true wisdom to be found in its meaning is revealed in the story from which the quote originates. I have no idea if you know where this quote came from, but I shall tell the story here. I think you will find it incredibly wise, whether it serves as a reminder or this is the first time you hear it....
King Solomon, feeling blue, asked his advisors to find him a ring he had once seen in a dream.
"When I feel satisfied I’m afraid that it won’t last. And when I don’t, I am afraid my sorrow will go on forever. Find me the ring that will ease my suffering." he demanded.
Solomon sent out all of his advisors, and eventually one of them met an old jeweler who carved into a simple gold band the inscription, "this too shall pass." When the king received his ring and read the inscription, his sorrows turned to joy and his joy to sorrows, and then both gave way to equanimity.
You see, the great King found himself unable to be content. He felt sorrow when he was happy, and sorrow when he was not, because he was unable to see his way forward. The ring served to cancel out his sorrow. By constantly having something to look forward to, he found himself content. What he previously thought was satisfaction was only a superficial feeling that was brought on by his great wealth, which was only temporary, thus his satisfaction could not last forever. True satisfaction could only be found when he recognized his wealth for what it was.
Think of King Solomon's satisfaction as smoking... his wealth, instead of gold, was cigarettes. When he did not have it, he was miserable because he wanted it, and believed it would make him happy. When he did have it, he was miserable because he knew that it wouldn't last, and that he'd constantly require more.
This forum can be your ring. This too shall pass. Believe that, and you will have found your peace with the process of recovery from nicotine addiction.
There is happiness to be found in realizing that you are already happy. Happy that you do not smoke. Happy that you committed to doing something tough, and did it. Happy that you've finally allowed yourself to be happy.
Do not be jealous of people who can smoke. Don’t look at quitting as a sacrifice.
"I can not smoke."
Instead, look at it as,
"I can not smoke."
Two sentences made up of exactly the same words, but with two hugely different meanings. The former suggests deprivation. It says that you want to smoke, but simply cannot. The latter, a more optimistic view, says that you finally recognize that you can do this... you can live your life without an addiction that leaves nothing but death and despair in its wake.
Stay strong!
I quit 2 Months, 20 hours, 9 minutes and 57 seconds ago! By saying NOPE to 1,731 cigarettes, I have saved $282.22, and 6 Days and 15 minutes of my life.
I changed my life forever on 4/1/2006 11:38 PM
-Jared
More from Jared:
What Does the Future Hold?
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