The Value of Waiting

I’m not good at waiting. I’m either eager to be on my way or ready to arrive. The time in between is usually spent impatiently.

A trip to an airport, however, taught me a lesson about waiting. I had agreed to pick up some friends, but upon arrival realized their plane would be delayed about an hour. I had fifty-million things to get done that day and waiting was not one of them! But I couldn’t leave my friends without a ride and so, I had no choice but to sit and wait.

Thinking this would be a quick stop and go; I hadn’t brought my computer or cell phone in with me and didn’t want to buy a book or magazine. Instead, I tapped my foot anxiously on the floor totally absorbed in my own annoyance. But airports are busy places and gradually, I started to look around.

This was an international airport and it was full of life. There were people from all over the world. At a bench nearby, a couple spoke rapidly in an Asian dialect. At the same time, an Indian man dressed in a beautifully decorated Sherwani rushed to catch his plane. All around me was a collage of different languages, colors, sizes and shapes.

I became so absorbed in the hustle and bustle of the airport that it took me a moment to realize, my friends’ plane had arrived. As I stood at the arrival gate, it hit me that I had thoroughly enjoyed my wait.

Thinking on this, I realized there are always times when, for whatever reason, my journey stops and I have to wait for it to start up again. It’s not just being stuck at an airport; it’s also those times in my life when I’m waiting for something new to begin. You know what I’m talking about; those “in between” times when you’re not sure how long the wait will be or even what’s next on the journey.

When facing these “in between” times of waiting, I can’t promise I’ll always be calm and mellow, but the trip to the airport taught me that I do have a choice. I can choose to experience these times with anxiety, impatience or even anger. Or I can choose to simply enjoy the wait. It’s an opportunity to take a deep breath, appreciate where I’ve been, and rest until my journey begins again. And it will begin again. It always does.