The Waiting Game

Does anyone actually enjoy waiting?

For the most part, I hate it. I don't like sitting at the chiropractor's office for 20 minutes for a 10 minute appointment, waiting in a LONG drive thru line at a fast food place when all I want is an iced tea, or waiting for a meal to arrive at a restaurant while a nearby table of customers (who arrived after my group!!!) is chowing down on dinner.

It's not just the little things. Waiting for the BIG things in life can be frustrating, too. And I'm sure I'm not alone ...

Have you ever waited for a promotion? Waited for school to be completely finished (or your student loans to be paid off)? Waited until you can own your own home? Or to meet and marry Mr. Right?

The thing about waiting is that it usually has a purpose (did I really just type that?!?). It can seem pointless at times, but once you reach your goals, you realize the value of the wait. So here are a few of the benefits of waiting:

• Waiting can provide experiences that prepare you for your future.
  For example, if you actually became the CEO of a large corporation straight after college, would you really be ready? Would you be ready to oversee multi-million dollar budgets, manage thousands of employees and set a vision for the company's next 20 years? Probably not.
  
  While you're waiting, seek experiences that will make you a better boss, husband, wife, employee or parent. Yes, waiting can provide good experiences--but most of the time, you have to seek them. You can't just sit on the couch and wake up as a CEO--you've got to first get hired somewhere (or invent something amazing in your garage, Bill Gates!), be willing to learn from others' experiences, build a reputation, learn more, fail, step out and try something new, think of a new idea, learn even more ... and the cycle keeps going.
  
  
• Waiting can build your character.
  As annoying as it can sound at times, "Patience is a virtue." The sheer act of waiting helps us realize that not everything can be just as we want it--in an instant. It teaches us to depend on God, to be content with what we have, and to enjoy a present moment.
  
  Besides patience, there may be other parts of your character that are "under construction" before you reach your goals. Maybe there's a habit you need to break, a strength you need to build, maturity you need to develop, or a weakness that needs taming.
  


• Waiting can save you from making impulsive decisions.
  It's best not to make the BIG decisions of life when you're super stressed, under pressure or emotionally vulnerable. Just breathe, seek some (wise!) advice, pray and wait to make the decision until you can feel pretty confident about it.
  
  At the same time, realize that there's not always a "perfect time" for everything. There's a balance between being too impulsive and being too paralyzed to make decisions at all. Analyze, but don't overanalyze. Don't be impulsive, but allow for some spontaneity in your life.
  

Another thing about waiting? No matter where you're at in life, if you're a goal-oriented person, you're usually waiting (and working toward) something. I have single friends who talk about waiting for marriage, married friends who talk about waiting to have kids, and older acquaintances that talk about waiting for retirement.

The Waiting Game is really all about balance ... make the most of your wait by multi-tasking (yes, I am one of those people who will talk on my cell and read a magazine in the chiropractor's office!). Don't just sit still. Do something productive with the time you've been given. It will make you better prepared for the day when that promotion, Mr. Right, child, or home comes into your life.