I don’t think I know of anyone who hasn’t had to wait for something. The things one waits for come in all sizes. One waits for tiny things like a text message reply, a train or bus, and the line to get into a public bathroom. But one also waits for big things like blood test results, a job offer while unemployed, a new love interest who is worthy, relief from hunger and homelessness, and peace in one’s homeland.
The weight of the wait can seem much like 14 elephants sitting on one’s chest. The weight of the wait can seem almost unbearable, like she cannot stand even one more hour of waiting before it crushes her heart and soul.
But there is good news for those who are trying their level best to hold up under the weight of the wait. That news is that this life, your life, is happening for you, not to you. It may not seem that way, and it surely doesn’t feel that way when the weight and the wait become overwhelming. As I write this, the weight and the wait on my chest is the lack of affordable housing in my home county. My rent was just increased for the second time in the two years I have been here. But leaving is hard, as the landlord requires 60 days notice. No other rental place will wait for 60 days when they can immediately place someone else in a rental unit.
In moments like these, it is hard to remember that life is happening for my benefit, not for my harm. But I’m trying, one breath at a time, to remind myself that life will happen just as it should, in the time that it should.
This post was inspired by my sweet friends, Smith and Tini, who currently live and work across several ponds in the Maldives. May you find comfort in the knowledge that the weight of the wait will one day be lessened. But for now, it’s ok just to breathe. And if breathing proves hard, ask a friend or two to help move an elephant. That’s what friends do for one another. We take some of the weight off each others’ chests so that we can breathe better and deeper while we wait for a better day.
Sometimes, moving an elephant is as simple as lifting a pen to write a brief word of encouragement.
—Angie
#NotesForNeighbors
Very hopeful perspective
What a thoughtful thinking !!