This, too, shall pass.

Those four words have been both an encouragement and a caution to me over the years.

Things not going so great? This, too, shall pass. Things will get better. 

Everything perfect? Enjoy it while you can, because this, too, shall pass.  Life has seasons and this is but one of them.

We have enjoyed a season of favor in which so many things have fallen neatly into place, with seemingly little effort.  The past two weeks have been the opposite.  Odd stuff… some strange interpersonal relationship issues… communication breakdowns... staff members bailing on meetings with little or no notice... people stressing and nerves on edge.

It makes one wonder.

There are factors contributing to this -- it is back-to-school week for our university students, several people are preparing to move out or in (I guess both, actually) of apartments, we are going into high gear preparing for the arrival of a group of musicians and dancers from California who will be with us for about 12 days, rehearsing for two appearances at a big community event (30,000 attendance predicted) --- it is just a stressful time for a lot of people and, in time, this, too, shall pass.

I remember a line a character spoke on a TV show recently: "My dad always said 'It will all work out in the end. If it hasn't worked out, it isn't the end."