This too shall pass.

Waking up this morning was surreal. But not because of the occasion today.

The buzzing of my phone didn't wake me up when text messages started coming in. Nor did the beeps and blinks of my other phone after every Wall post. My alarm clock didn't even work. Rather, the first thing I heard this morning was the sound of the heavy rain pouring down over our home. It would get louder, and get softer, and then it would be even louder than it was the first time. And all I could think about was, damn it, not again.

Fearing I wasn't going to make it on time, I considered making a phone call to the office. I have my laptop with me at home, I would say, and I can't leave the house. But since I already have my corporate attire on, and the rains started to die down a little bit, I figured I should at least try to get there. Besides, if the weather really was that bad, I could just turn around and then make the call. So, when the coast was clear, I left home for work. Suddenly - as if it were on cue - the rains stopped, the clouds parted, and the sun started to rise. I got to the office just in time, with plenty more to spare. Turns out I made the right decision after all.

Perhaps that small episode proved to be a subtle reminder of one of life's enduring lessons, and is something worth noting for me personally. And that lesson is, nothing in this life is permanent. Everything passes.

The sadness and pain that we feel, no matter how burdensome it becomes, is temporary. It will pass soon. We may stumble and fall sometimes, but when our heads have cleared and our hearts calmed - and eventually they will - we begin to see things in a different light. Then we pick ourselves up and start to walk again, headed hopefully in the right direction.

Happiness, while in itself a good feeling, is also temporary. So is success, uplifting but fleeting. They will also pass. We should cherish what we have while we have them, yet bearing in mind that there will always be something better in store for us down the road.

The bonds that we make with people close to us will soon pass. People come and go. Some ahead of schedule, some without warning. There are also those who overstay their welcome, who are meant to be a pest to us for as long as we live - those are bonds that stand the test of time. Each day should be an opportunity to show how much we appreciate them. We cannot afford to wait until they are gone from us completely.

Today comes once a year. And this too shall pass. Today is filled with merry-making and well-wishes, but tomorrow the rest of your life begins. Sadly it can't always be your birthday, but it's better this way. Birthdays are like milestones in the journey of life. And God willing, I hope I get to see plenty more.

For now, I guess it's back to reality.

(My sincerest thanks to everybody who remembered and everybody who greeted. You all know who you are.)