When I was younger, I never thought about waiting, except to rush it along. But I am trying to cultivate a deeper level of patience in time for my 40th year. I have spent some time recently thinking and journaling about the Wait and I came to the conclusion that there are two ways to wait.
The first way is the path of Hurried Anxiety. This is a period of waiting characterized by fear and scatteredness. We push the reality of the wait to the outer edges of our consciousness and forge ahead with a spirit of busyness. We scramble and rush and do several things at once, none of them very well. We strive and dwell on the various things that could go wrong, giving our power and energy away to empty threats. It is a shallow way to wait. It is marked by the impatience of a child, minus the cuteness of youth.
The alternative way to wait is the Wait of Hopeful Expectation. This path is the peaceful, reflective version. It calls us to a higher level of consciousness, acutely aware of the discomfort of the wait while maintaining a willingness to be present in it. This kind of waiting creates an opportunity to seek clarity and focus and create a reservoir of stillness and intent. Whatever it is that we are waiting for is then blessed by the access to this reservoir, assuring that we will not run dry. Our usual nervous energy is collected and channeled into purposeful endeavors. Even if the endeavor is simply rest.
The most marked difference in the wait of hopeful expectation is the component of Trust. Whatever the challenge that lies ahead, be it of a personal nature, work related, or running related, the wait is the time to cultivate trust. Trust God, trust your training, trust your body (listen to it!), and trust your heart.
People who learn how to wait are ultimately the people who know when to make a move...we will only know how to go for it if we have truly learned how to wait for it.
complete blog can be read here. happy weekend of waiting in hopeful expectation!
xo, sem
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