In the Waiting
My last few blogs were about the seasons of our soul. This season that I find myself in is that of waiting. Waiting for me has always been the hardest part of anything. Being patient and having no control over a situation is difficult. Even if I know I have no actual control, the pure act of doing something, anything, gives me a sense of control. It’s hard to sit back and be a spectator. It’s hard to not be in the game and help, but some games don’t need more players; they just need fans that cheer them on and support those that are in the game.
Waiting
I sit here while I wait for my daughter to give birth to our newest granddaughter. Today, she prepares for labor while I toil at home, but she is in excellent hands, and I have to trust without being at her side. She is strong and able as she’s delivered our other two beautiful granddaughters. Even so, a mother’s need to help is immense. So, I wait.
Today, for me, it’s about bringing a life into the world, but most days my waiting is about the everyday life of being a writer: I can’t wait for the first draft of my book to be done, I can’t wait for the edits and revisions to be complete, I can’t wait to see the cover and the proof. I can’t wait to hold the printed book in my hands.
Oftentimes…
I think we find ourselves eager to move forward to the next step instead of enjoying the journey that we are on at the moment. We are impatient people. We can’t wait until spring, we can’t wait for… well, you can fill in the blank.
The journey
Enjoying the journey of where we are, even in the waiting, should come with a sense of gratitude. To appreciate the here and now, even if it’s not particularly in a good place, there is space for gratitude. Sure, I can’t wait to hold my next book in my hands, but I am grateful that my efforts produced a completed first draft and while it’s being combed over and critiqued, I can focus on other things in my life that bring me joy, like spending time with the two granddaughters I already have.
Why is it we want to rush through life to see the next milestone? Is it because we’re afraid we’ll miss it? I want to see and experience things in the future because I know life is short. But in the end, I’m causing myself to rush to the end anyway, instead of enjoying the moments that I’m in. It’s quite the conundrum, really.
So, I try to be patient while I wait for what life will bring me. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t look forward to things, and not have goals. What I’m saying is to enjoy the process until we get there.
I’m grateful
I’m grateful for those amongst us that savor the here and now. I know I’m happier when I do as well. There is beauty in every stage of our lives, in every event, and in every season. When we slow down enough to see it, our eyes and hearts open to unimaginable beauty that is right before us. So, let us savor those moments and put it in our precious memory bank so that we can pull them out later, and remember what brought us to where we are today.
Life is to be experienced…
let’s not rush it. As for me, I will enjoy seeing my daughter carrying her baby and treasure the miracle of life about to be born. I’ll hold her in my arms soon enough. Until then, I’ll wait.
Hugs,