The Coronavirus - This Too Shall Pass

Not to be an alarmist, but the world is on edge. People are in a frenzy and rightfully so. But such was the case of SARS (also a coronavirus), Ebola, the Bird Flu and other viruses and disease in our lifetime. There is little data on the long term effects of the current coronavirus (crown in Latin). Mass hysteria is contributing to toilet paper shortages, school closings, and having an incredible impact on travel along with a diving stock market. Yes, it is wise to take precautions and avoid putting oneself in harms way. But we also need to have faith and understanding, knowing that there will be resolve and we need to continue to go on with our day to day lives.

King Solomon, one of the wisest, wealthiest and most powerful people to grace this earth, sought to humble his most trusted minister. He tasked this minister to locate a magical ring. When asked what was so special about the ring. King Solomon replied; “If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy.” Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility.

King Solomon gave the minister six months to locate this ring but his minister had no idea where he could find it. On the night before the ring was to be delivered to the king, the minister walked through the poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a merchant and asked; “Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the brokenhearted wearer forget his sorrows?” 

He watched the merchant take a plain gold ring from his items for sale and engrave a message on it. When he read the words on the ring, he smiled. 

Knowing that no ring existed, Solomon smiled as the Minister presented the small gold ring to the king. As soon as King Solomon read the inscription, the smile vanished from his face. The merchant had engraved three Hebrew letters on the gold band when translated reads; “This too shall pass.” At that moment Solomon realized that all his wisdom, wealth and tremendous power were just fleeting things, for one day he would be nothing but dust.”

King Solomon went on to wear that ring as a constant reminder. When situations occurred that were challenging and stressful, he would glance down at the ring, read the words and smile knowing that “this too shall pass”.