Like many of us in this fast paced crazy world, I don’t do a very good job of waiting. I am impatient and want what I want now! I once had a $400 plane ticket I could have redeemed for a flight coupon for travel later. The line was long, I didn’t feel like waiting, so I went home!! I lost an awesome opportunity for free travel because I could not BEAR the thought of waiting in that line! Seriously!
Catching the bus at the crack of dawn!
The problem with this “impatience,” if you will; I do not have a car.
I can’t just hop in my car, NOW, to run to the store. I cannot just hop in my car, NOW, to go to the market. I can’t just hop in my car… well you get the picture! There is very little immediacy for me and most of my activities right now but there is a lot of planning and well, waiting!
Morning schedule...
Waiting. <sigh> I am learning to look at this from a very “Zen” point of view. Really I am! I am learning that it is ok to hang out and wait. I can sit on a bench and relax while I wait for the bus. I am learning to not be all tapping feet and deep sighs when the bus is late. I am learning that I don’t need to rush OUT of an event or a place- that it is ok to linger because the bus isn’t going to come around that way for a while yet. Unforeseen opportunities can come at any time if you just sit and wait!
Waiting has been having an impact on me. I am not as impatient with others, or myself because I know now, that sometimes I just have to wait. I feel like this is going to have a good impact on other aspects of my life as I set out this year to make even more changes- bigger ones, even the smaller ones. I know now, that not only do I have no choice but to wait- but that waiting itself can have benefits and I can actually endure it. I really can!
Downtown buses...
Another side benefit of all this; I am learning to accept help from others. People offer to give me rides. (I think it freaks them out that I am really going to take the bus home!) By accepting help from others I am learning to be gracious and allow them to receive the blessing of helping me. It’s not easy- my first instinct is to say “No Thanks! I will be ok!” And of course, I WILL be ok. But it doesn’t hurt me to accept and maybe it jus helps us both to work together like this!
Looking up from a bench- while waiting...
So this year- as I look at the way I have chosen to live my life- I am finding that I am receiving so many more benefits than just the financial ones I expected. I am learning to wait… That cannot be a bad thing!
Do you know how to wait?
What are you waiting for this year?
oh that sounds so much like me! I am trying to learn how to “wait”.
We’re a one car family, and I’ve had to learn to wait a lot over the last 3 years. It’s still tough – I would really like for certain aspects of my life to change right now, but I think I’m developing at least a little more patience than I’ve had in the past…
Great post La! From having 3 kids I had to learn how to be patient, because it can take an 8 yr old 10 minutes to put on his shoes…LOL
I decided that I will never pray for patience again because God will give you the opportunity to hone that discipline!
I love your outlook on the subject!