Pain is inevitable; misery is optional

This, too, shall pass.

An ancient thought, remembered because it is timeless.  So wise, that at first it sounds trite; now, suddenly, piercingly relevant as we face an ancient scourge.  What should it mean for us, today?

Perhaps, that today is enough.  If we are well, we can be grateful for that.  If we are troubled in spirit, we can be grateful for the tools of contemplation and outreach which assist us as we reach for equanimity and the figurative hands of others.  And if, as many are and many more will be, we find ourselves suffering bodily, we can dedicate that pain to the service of others.

This, too, shall pass; Creation in its wisdom has made suffering as transient as any other human experience, and will doubtless do so now.  Of course, misery remains an option!  Try your best not to choose it, sisters and brothers.