This past month has been stressful for me. Life just seems to want to get under my skin and make me as uncomfortable and touchy as possible. Exhibit A: I still do not have a full-time job, though I am working 30+ hours at my part-time job this week...
Yesterday, however, was a much needed break from life. Even if it was only for a couple of hours. I woke up early in the moring and drove up to York University with a good friend of mine, just listening to music and talking on the way. When we got there we walked around and did stuff for about 3 hours. It was really relaxing, even if my already wounded feet were screaming at me.
In York's academic buildings there are paintings displayed in almost every hall. I don't know about you, but I love art. I could spend hours in an art gallery just talking about the paintings. We went to this mock photography exhibit that was set up to look just like the original photographers, it was interesting to see how one person viewed the world from behind his camera lense.
Of course we had places to go, things to do, but there wasn't any rush.
I wish life were like that. I wish we never felt compelled to make things happen. To do it now or do it never. Some things should be a priority, like telling people you love them, reconcilliation, forgiveness, or spreading the gospel. But other things, other things are meant to be drawn out, to be waited on. Some things in life just aren't supposed to happen right here, right now.
And maybe this sounds crazy, but I think that the most beautiful part of the path of life is the waiting part. Waiting creates anticipation. When you wait you get to experience something that wouldn't otherwise be there.
Waiting makes the thing you are waiting for more exciting. It makes it more worthwhile because you had to wait. It's like sometimes the anticipation of something is more exciting than the thing itself.
I'm reminded of that scene in Denis the Menace where Mr.Willson is waiting for the rare flower to bloom. The flower is beautiful, but the fact that he had to wait however many years to witness it's 5 minute bloom makes seeing it so much more gratifying.
In short, don't underestimate the power of time. Right now I have to wait to get a job, but when I do get one, the one I'm intended to get, it will be so much more rewarding than if I got one right off the bat. I will have worked hard and searched long for that job.
In today's society waiting is a lost art. We get everything we want when we want it. Hit a button and the TV turns on, red eye flights, fast-food, instant millions, instant coffee. But the things that will really matter to us in the end, the things that will really satisfy us, are the things we wait for. There is no greater reward than being given something that you have long waited for.
"For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay." --Habakkuk 2:3
"But they that wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint." --Isaiah 40:31
"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him." --Psalm 37:7
"The Lord favors those who fear Him, Those who wait for His lovingkindness." --Psaml 147:11
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