I like being patient. It is so much more fun than being impatient. Yesterday I spent the day with a friend who was shopping for a desk. She had requested my company because I have a car and hey, I am just so much fun. It turned into an all day event that included lunch, the mandatory crying in the restaurant over stories of redemption, plenty of bathroom stops, numerous bouts of indecision over colour and size, a brief ride on the shopping cart, thorough research of all the store's other fine articles offered for sale, an excursion into the "as is" section, talking to a polite Spanish guy in front of me who had the best hair and seemed to be buying enough stuff to furnish a small house but was stuck waiting in line while his friend collected more articles for purchase, delivering the desk to my friend's house only to discover that it was damaged inside the box, returning to the customer service area at the store and waiting for another half hour to get a new desk, and then preparing a late supper for all of us (mmm...grilled meat) before the friend was finally delivered home with the new desk, almost 10 hours later.It was an enjoyable day, though much of it was spent just waiting for someone else to make a decision. I actually surprised myself. Not once was I annoyed, not once did I say something out of irritation, not once did I try to hurry up the process, though when asked, I did offer my opinion. I wanted my friend to make a decision and feel good about it after she got home. And I could not do that for her nor would it have been right to put pressure on her to speed up the process. But, I could be a pleasant companion, an encourager when things got a little discouraging, a person who seeks to bring clarity and narrow down the viable choices, a provoker to think on the profound things in life a little more often, and a willing driver.
I think patience is underrated in this busy western way of life. Everyone wants everything done faster, but faster is not a fruit of the true spiritual life. Who knew patience could be such a pleasant experience? What else am I missing out on by not embracing it as part of my life?
This is a picture of the fireworks competition in Montreal (United States was the competitor this evening) taken from the 28th floor where another friend resides. Big, loud, fast, flashy, expensive. Oh well. Fun, nevertheless.
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