Waiting

I’m so intrigued by the concept of waiting. Waiting is part of everyday life for every person. From a baby screaming for a bottle to an adult who only buys off Amazon if it’s on Prime (you know who you are), we all experience the postponement of the inevitable- good or bad. What we do in the waiting is what can truly define us.

So what do you do in the waiting? Do you press pause on everything else around you and let it consume your thoughts? Do you circumnavigate the waiting and try to figure out how to make things move faster another way? Do you give up completely on the idea because it just would take too long? Or do you rest in the waiting? Do you use the time to prepare for what’s coming your way? Train, study, strengthen, remain.

I’m guilty of the former. I’m a do-er. If I want it, I want it now! No time to wait; let’s go!! But I’m in a season of learning. I’m being taught to let go, relax, take a breath, and wait it out. This is essentially a relinquishment of control- to say, “I am powerless in this situation, so I will not let it rule my thoughts, create doubts, and invent fear.”

How can I grow while in a season of waiting? I can’t help but think of nature and see that so clearly answered for me. A flower could not bloom without first waiting, gaining all the essential nutrients over months and months, to finally mature to its full glory. Do animals not store food and energy during the winter only to thrive and procreate in the spring? The waiting is what strengthens us and matures us and is a far cry from a time of stagnation or ruin.

So if you’re like me, you have often defined your life by periods of waiting for the next “big” thing. For me, this was dental school, kids, a house, a dental practice, getting out of debt; I could list about 5 different “big” things on which I’m currently waiting. But in a mindful effort to relinquish control, seek peace, and reject stress, I am choosing to define my current season of waiting as an opportunity to grow and mature in preparation for whatever comes next. Will you join me?