Waiting for enroute blessings…

Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder. Henry David Thoreau

Wait and trust the Lord. Psalm 37:37 (a) ICB

True happiness is… to enjoy the present without anxious dependence upon the future. Seneca

Have you ever thought about how much of our lives are spent “waiting”. When we are little, we can’t wait for Christmas or a birthday. When we are a bit older, it’s waiting for a driver’s license and graduation from high school or college. Then there’s the waiting to find “the one” if you hope to marry. When my husband and I were expecting our first child, we eagerly were waiting for baby’s birth to start our family; those extra three weeks beyond the due date seemed to stretch on!

Then there’s a myriad of shorter, less significant waiting times.  Daily, my pup can’t wait for a walk or hike. Indeed, if I put on my hiking boots, then he gets too excited to eat breakfast.  After a hard hike, I can’t wait for a good dinner. Then there’s days or weeks of waiting for a special outing with family or friends.

Young children often have a hard time waiting, but when we are adults, we can choose to make waiting a positive experience. When I’m waiting, I can choose to look at the wait as a chance to anticipate and/or prepare rather than being impatient. I can choose to think of all the possible positives ahead, rather than dwelling on any unlikely upsets.  I can savor the coming joy thinking of it as rather like having an appetizer before the main course!

What are you waiting for? A movie, concert, or a trip?  A family member or friend to visit?  An upcoming wedding or family reunion?  Summer fun at a lake or the beach? Whatever you are waiting for, big or small, count the waiting as a preview of joy that is on the way!