In times of great stress and change (hello, 2020!), I find it comforting to have a mantra at the ready that I can recite to myself to refocus my perspective and calm my anxiety. This technique works all the better when there’s a visual reminder of the mantra nearby for calming refreshers throughout the day.

Hence this bracelet. To the casual observer, it looks unremarkable:

But it holds a secret. Engraved on its face are the words “THIS TOO SHALL PASS” in letters almost faint enough to be invisible:

We hear this adage recited often, but until a few years ago, I hadn’t known its origin. It comes from a fable, believed to have been written by a 13th century Persian poet, that tells of a king who challenged his wise advisers to devise a phrase that would make him happy when he was sad and sad when he was happy. The wise men answered the king’s challenge by giving him a ring etched with this phrase.

This mantra resonates with me deeply because it reminds me to never take the joyous moments of life for granted and, perhaps more importantly, not to dwell on the painful moments of life because time is fleeting and nothing is permanent.

I bought this bracelet for myself when my son was a few months old. Having a newborn is not easy given the lack of sleep, physical recovery from labor, and massive lifestyle change. In those early months, wearing this bracelet reminded me that my son wouldn’t be a baby forever and that life would return to a new “normal” soon.

Later, the mantra held new significance as I faced the difficult prospect of returning to work from maternity leave and, in classic human nature, mourned the days when my son was a newborn and I could spend all my time at home with him.

Now that my son is older (and has a sister!), I repeat this phrase as a reminder to cherish this special time when my kids are young and life is full of their messy wonderfulness. It won’t be long until they are teenagers who would rather be with their friends and no longer need me to put on their shoes for them or rock them to sleep.

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My bracelet came from Fossil but is sold out. Similar styles that can be engraved with your own personal mantra are available here, here, and here.

What mantra speaks most to you?