“This Too Shall Pass”

“There is a quiet strength in knowing that nothing—neither joy nor suffering—lasts forever.”

I used to think emotional struggles were something I should simply “get over.” But as I grew older, I realized that being emotionally overwhelmed is part of being human.

For many women, emotions shift with the menstrual cycle. Hormonal changes can bring sadness, anxiety, irritability, or an overwhelming heaviness that seems to appear without warning. Although I know this happens almost every month, it never becomes easier. Every time it comes, it feels unfamiliar, as if I am experiencing it for the first time. Logic tells me it will pass, but emotions rarely listen to logic.

I know I am not alone.

Many women experience the same emotional waves. Some have relatively mild symptoms, while others struggle with days of exhaustion, mood swings, or unexplained sadness. Sometimes, I even watch a sad Korean drama—not because I enjoy feeling sad, but because crying becomes a form of release. Tears have a way of making emotional weight feel lighter.

As I began accepting that these emotional changes are a normal part of life rather than something to fear, I searched for ways to better understand myself. During one of those moments, I came across a simple phrase:

“This too shall pass.”

Its meaning is straightforward: no difficult situation is permanent. Every season of pain, uncertainty, disappointment, or grief eventually gives way to something new.

Yet behind those four words lies a profound philosophy.

The phrase reminds us that suffering is temporary but so is success. It teaches humility during our victories and resilience during our struggles. It encourages us not to become consumed by today’s pain or overly attached to today’s happiness because both are part of life’s natural rhythm.

Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I quietly repeat those words to myself.

This too shall pass.

They remind me to stay grounded, to breathe, and to trust that my current emotions do not define my entire life.

Looking back, I realize I had been living by this philosophy long before I ever knew the phrase.

I grew up in a poor family as the youngest of seven siblings. My mother raised us alone after my father disappeared from our lives. She supported our family by selling dried fish and smoked fish in the market, earning only ₱150 to ₱200 a day. That amount barely covered our daily meals.

When I was sixteen and in my second year of college, my mother sat me down and gently told me that we could no longer afford my education.

I only needed ₱60 a day, ₱40 for transportation and ₱20 for food, but even that small amount had become impossible for our family.

I remember crying, not because I blamed my mother, but because I felt as though my future was disappearing before my eyes.

Then a different thought came to me. If I stopped studying, four years would still pass but I would remain in the same place. If I worked while continuing my education, those same four years could lead me somewhere different. Time would pass regardless.

The question was who I wanted to become when it did. So I chose the harder path.

Despite having no background in Taekwondo, I applied for a sports scholarship. I trained relentlessly, often being surrounded by students who were already far more experienced than I was. At the same time, I worked as a cashier at SM to help support myself.

My days became a routine of discipline.

I woke up at six in the morning, attended classes, trained, worked, studied whenever I could, and often arrived home close to eleven at night. The cycle repeated day after day, month after month, year after year.

It was exhausting. There were moments when I questioned whether I could continue.

But every difficult day ended the same way every difficult season eventually does—it passed.

Looking back now, I realize that those years shaped me far more than comfort ever could. They taught me perseverance, gratitude, discipline, and faith in the future. More importantly, they taught me that circumstances are temporary, but the character we build while enduring them remains.

Today, whenever I encounter disappointment, uncertainty, or even the emotional heaviness that accompanies ordinary life, I return to the same simple reminder:

This too shall pass.

It is not a promise that life will become easy. It is a promise that life keeps moving.

The pain that feels unbearable today will become a memory tomorrow. The joy we experience today should be cherished because it, too, is temporary. Understanding this truth has made me appreciate both happiness and hardship, because each has its season.