What are we all waiting for? Are we waiting in traffic, waiting for the light to change, waiting for the big hand to get to the 2 and the little hand to get to the 6? Wait, there are no hands on this clock! Are we counting the days until school gets out as most kids do? Are we counting the days until our birthday as most little kids do? Or waiting to see if anyone remembers our birthday as some adults have to do? Are we waiting for winter to be over, finally?
Wouldn't it be more zen-like not to wait at all? To always live in the present moment, comfortably enjoying whatever life chooses to send to us? I'd like to do that savoring-thing, wouldn't you? Imagine us all sitting at that stop light full of the joy of present. Perhaps we'd watch a mote of dust flying by our face. We'd banish all road rage and smile sweetly when someone cuts into the bank line ahead of us. The deadline for that raise or tax-refund would pass us by and we would take note, but mildly. We'd smell all the daisies and never mind the hay fever or the bees. The plane might be late to take off, but suddenly sardine-class seems so cozy.
Imagine the practice of medicine--no need to swear after being left on hold for 45 minutes by a managed care company. Think of all the happy patients in the waiting room who have enjoyed the canned music and 3 year old magazines while waiting for you to deal with yet another emergency. And as you show your next appointment in, your patient delightedly comments on how he watched the busy ants in the lobby carrying a half eaten candy bar back to their nest in the building walls.
The irritable, hyperactive children join hands and dance with their siblings expressing their joy to be together. Their tired, overworked teachers bless them for the joy their inattention brings them. The insomniac sings the praise of all those extra hours of awareness his troubles bring him. Depression gives us time to get in tune with our inner self-loathing. We all love the way the panic attacks make every second seem like hours.
Wait, wait, don't hang up now. I have more joy and inner beauty to share with you, really! Not to mention there is this lovely gentleman in Nigeria who needs our financial support. His lawyer can be reached at. . . .
