"When the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me, shinin' until tomorrow, let it be.” The famous song lyric from The Beatles reminds us that the quality of being able to let go of sorrow and pain will eventually make us move on to the next step, much like how This too shall pass works. Although the level of pain may be different from person to person, we, the Photo Division, dedicate this photo essay to those in search of comfort and present scenes of mundane life turning into moments of realization.

Ryu Jiin

“Press the button to fast forward.” If life were a game, there would be moments you would not hesitate to skip: waiting for the bus to arrive at a bus stop, killing time before the food is delivered, or being stuck in endless traffic. These moments that require endurance not only consist of mundane, daily activities, but also painful memories. These are some of the sad and prosaic repetitions in our everyday life. However, they are what constitute most of our time, leaving us with no choice but to spend most of our life waiting, because life is not a game.

However, simply longing for the bitterness to fade away does not make the pain less vivid. Everything passes at the same rate, both the highs and the lows, and a wise man would choose to enjoy his highs at his best. Embrace your presence, stay on your path, and be the wise one because this too shall pass, and you know that agony will abate.

Oh Ji Su

In the course of life, there are always situations people wish to end. Be it the exam season or a heartbreaking moment, there is no one that has not desired to overcome moments of hardship. This desire is what I tried to portray in these pictures. However, I attempted to personalize it by depicting situations that I am currently in rather than portraying a generalized perspective. Nonetheless, I believe any university student would most likely have experienced what I did.

The pictures I selected were mostly about situations that express the quote, This too shall pass. In other words, situations that are undesirable. I tried to take pictures such as the bad weather or the time spent studying or waiting, some of the daily occurrences anyone would probably want to avoid. Because such situations are usually unwanted, I added a black and white filter in order to depict the urge to put them in the past.

Jie Yeowon

Although coping mechanisms can be viewed as a means to overlook pain, they can also be utilized to understand and re-evaluate this agony. In a way, these methods of facing stress serve as our lens to observe and endure a reality that is inevitably filled with negativity while reminding us of the potential positivity that lies ahead. That being said, I find myself gravitating towards items that guarantee the warmth and security I need within restive moments. For me, these items are the comfort foods of my childhood. The taste of these dishes, regardless of how scrumptious they are, is secondary to the cordial experiences they evoke in my mind. I am made aware of how, like the meal itself, pain is temporary and life goes on.

The chicken sandwich, to some, may be a Nashville staple, but to me represents values of friendship and loyalty I seek to find solace in when I’ve been disappointed by someone. Dried pollock is a popular Korean bar snack, but for me conjures rare memories of unity within my family when my father would come home from long business trips. The sentiments that come along with these dishes are extremely intense and personal. They seem to coax me into believing that even in the worst times, this too shall pass.