“Suzuki Roshi, I’ve been listening to your lectures for years,” a student said during the question and answer time following a lecture, “but I just don’t understand. Could you just please put it in a nutshell? Can you reduce Buddhism to one phrase?”

Everyone laughed. Suzuki laughed.

“Everything changes,” he said. Then he asked for another question.

As a technical writer, it is very easy to get caught up in the frenzy of the current project or deadline. Sometimes one gets so involved with the deadline that one forgets his/her family, friends, relatives, even children. Also, if you are a manager or a leader in your organisation, it is natural that you could be driving your people up the wall so that they will meet your deadline.

Remember, deadlines are to meet targets, not to cause death. It is important to note that this project too will pass and the next project will be here soon. This document will also be published and you will be authoring another document soon. Thus, “everything changes”.

Meet your deadlines. Perform quality work but keep in mind that this is not the end. This is just one among the many. Realization of the impermanence of what you are doing is paramount. This too shall pass…