One of my biggest hang-ups in life, and I’m old enough that wisdom and experience should carry me through it. Hasn’t happened yet.
Lots of platitudes address it, but platitudes are only true when viewed from the other side of things, not within the thick of it.
I’ve had several deep experiences in which platitudes held transformative meaning, but I think you’re right.
I think they are symbolic placeholders for something experiential, and holding onto what gives them meaning is like trying to grasp the wind as it blows.