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"A traveller from an antique land who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone stand in the desert."
OZYMANDIAS
These words have ways stuck with me, reminding me of the rest of the poem, but mainly reminding me that even vast, expensive and truly effortful things that many once cared about will eventually decay and become forgotten. Similar to the other post that this too shall pass.
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"
You left out the most poignant part of the verse: "Nothing beside remains." Look on your works? They all turned to dust.
I memorized the whole thing in school. I've forgotten parts, but it really has stuck with me since. But it took a decade or so before the real true impact of it hit home.
Like, as a teen I understand it, King built a statue, was a powerful proud king, had everything, blah blah, now it's all but gone and only pieces of a statue even remain.
But, the impact of it hit as an adult.
Not even the greatest of kings or warriors or sages can escape the slow erosion of time and sand and all things crumble to dust.
It's both depressing and empty feeling, but also freeing in a way. Optimistic Nihilism I guess? It's all going to be dust one day, so be nice and have fun and be whimsical and silly and do what you want.
It does at least give me comfort that even the big evil rulers of our age will one day be long forgotten and but a crumbled relic and some lines in a rotting history book that no one bothers to read anymore.