Knowing that they can’t stop the clock is a good reminder if you are going through anything both temporary and awful.
Reminds me be of being run ragged in basketball practice in high school.
Sure the coach can kill us while we are here – but he can’t keep us here all night!
This too shall pass.
And it did. (Too fast, if I am being honest.)
Of course, I can see some arrogant doctor enjoying this a bit…
The outgoing intern who was supposed to orient me but instead just handed me a list of forty-three patients: “The only thing I have to tell you is: they can 7lways hurt you more, but they can’t stop the clock.” And then he walked away.
-Paul Kalanithi, When Breath Becomes Air (Amazon)