I keep saying that if the pandemic has taught me nothing else, it’s taught me patience. That’s mostly true but I can’t say it’s a lesson I’ve enjoyed.
Over the last two years, I’ve spent a lot of time waiting. If these things can be measured, I’d say I’ve probably earned a medal in it. You need me to hold? Sure. Need me to stand in line? No problem. Want me to sit in that uncomfortable chair in the corner while you look things up? You’ve got it. I can’t come inside but can wait in my car in the parking lot? OK. I won’t complain because you (whoever you are) don’t want to make me wait, either. I get it. You, whoever you are, probably don’t like telling me to wait any more than I like hearing it.
When my husband was first hospitalized, I couldn’t go inside with him so I had to wait. Wait for calls, wait for questions, wait for answers. I get it. But I don’t sit still very well so while I waited, I clung to my old mantra: “I can’t do that but I can do this.” and tried to busy myself with other things that I could do.
I hurried up and got busy. Our pool desperately needed a new liner. Called the guy. Scheduled the replacement. Waited months for the liner to arrive. The house desperately needed siding. Called the guy. Waited months for the siding to arrive. Lather, rinse, repeat. Those projects were done with so many apologies along with thanks for my patience.
Meanwhile, I really needed a source of income so I hurried up to tackle that So many resumes were sent. So many interviews – telephone, virtual/video, even in person – happened. All seemed positive and promising. I’m still waiting for the right and perfect job to reveal itself to me.
The metaphysical me understand that Right and Perfect can’t happen until the Right and Perfect time. Unfortunately, the here on earth me is becoming frustrated with the wait. Metaphysical Me understands that time doesn’t matter in the universal plan. Here on earth me has a watch and a calendar and the ticking just gets louder and louder.
I’m frustrated. But hindsight shows that each of the things that I wanted to happen would have conflicted with the things that needed to happen. So I breathe deeply. I pull up my patience pants. I find something to occupy my time while I wait. And I wait.
I know that hurrying doesn’t help but that’s what I know. Hurry Up And Wait…
