Light From Many Lamps – Paul Hamilton Hayne (Post #2)

Paul Hamilton Hayne: This, too, shall pass away.

“This, too, shall pass (away)” is a phrase that I have whispered to myself many times in the past. I am familiar with it’s meaning and the small comfort it provides during times of hardship. However, one of the verses in Hayne’s poem made me see the phrase from a different perspective – “Art thou elated? Ah, be not too gay; Temper thy joy: this, too, shall pass away” (Haynes as cited in Watson, 1988, p. 75). In this verse, the phrase is used in a different context. Instead of a comfort for those in distress, this verse reminds us that happiness, like sadness, will pass as well (Haynes as cited in Watson, 1988, p. 75). I feel blessed to be able to say in my daily life, my times of happiness far outnumber my times of hardship. However, it is easy for me to take this for granted when I am not consciously counting my blessings. We should savour every happy moment because it is not here to stay forever. I am currently 34 weeks pregnant and thinking back, I really have enjoyed every moment of this pregnancy. Haynes poem caused me to realize that I need to consciously appreciate this phase in my life and to not let the busy-ness of life distract me from enjoying this pregnancy because “this, too, shall pass away” (as cited in Watson, 1988, p. 74).

Transformational servant leaders are often busy creating visions, inspiring followers, and promoting individual and organizational growth (Northouse, 2016, p. 167). Leading groups of people can be demanding and require problem solving and critical thinking skills. There seems to always be room for improvement in organizations. However, I believe that Haynes perspective reminds leaders that in the midst of the busy-ness of leading a group, it is important to celebrate team successes as well. Triumphs and successes, no matter how small or big, will pass and it is important to take the time to enjoy the moments before they are gone. In fact, celebrating individual and organizational successes is an important part of community building, one important characteristic of servant leadership (Northouse, 2016, p. 229).

References

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Watson, L. E. (1988). Light from Many Lamps. New York: Simon and Schuster.