Waiting

It was a quiet Friday, cold for the time of year, only in the upper forties Fahrenheit, with lots of showers and rain. Yet, because of all the green of the evergreen trees all around, and the bright colors of spring flowers,and the concert of spring birds,there was a certain abundance to the day. I felt quiet inside also, in tune in a pleasant and peaceful way with the quiet of the day around me. I started thinking of how quiet can at times imply waiting. Today, the idea of waiting seemed very pleasant, like the appetizer before a good meal. We live in an increasingly impatient world, where waiting for anything is considered a waste of time. But to me, waiting can be a healing, productive and revealing experience. I realize one type of waiting is not like another. Waiting in line at the DMV is probably not something as pleasant as waiting in my backyard, while listening to the birds. I am talking about the kind of waiting that implies active participation in its quiet and silence. Waiting as a form of meditation.This type of waiting requires patience,and a tolerance for our and others imperfections. It is the kind of waiting that paints a picture as it figures out where to take your mind next. It is like having a cup of tea with your deeper, quieter self that often gets lost in the daily shuffle and busy repetitiveness. It requires also that you listen, so you can hear the not so obvious, see the not so visible, understand the not so transparent, embrace the not so evident, breathe slower, with more joy, more appreciation, more respect. This kind of waiting is active and creative,and as pleasant as a walk on a beautiful beach. It creates an oasis deep in your heart and mind, that allows you to rejoin the required modern pace with a clearer, happier attitude and energy. As the rain started to come down in sheets, drenching everything around me in a tropical like symphony, I smiled, as the quiet waiting all around me had just turned into a loud party. Nature had decided my waiting for now was over. I went back inside, relaxed, refreshed, carrying the fresh air of my waiting reverie like a fresh, fragrant fruit.