The Waiting Place

In the famous children’s book “Oh! The Places You’ll Go!” by Dr. Seuss there’s a section of the book that he calls the waiting place. We’ve all been there. Waiting to be next in line at the grocery store or waiting for traffic to move so we can get home. Or perhaps we are waiting for a check in the mail, or to hear back from a job interview. We often squander our time during this waiting period as if it doesn’t matter. As if this chunk of time is useless space being taken up between two real events. Something happens and then we wait….and then something else happens.

Personally, I think the greatest stuff happens during the waiting period. This is the time when we have our best thoughts, our best ideas. The time we need to reflect on past achievements or future endeavors. The time we remember to call an old friend, catch up on a good book or remember to do something we had forgotten to do. So many great things happen during that time where we feel life is stagnant. So don’t waste that time. Every moment in your life occurs for a reason; so if you are waiting for something to come, stop! You are in that stagnant period of your life for a reason. Perhaps you will have an epiphany because you have slowed yourself down just long enough to think.

In the words of Aerosmith, “Life’s a journey not a destination”.  Enjoy the entire journey, not just the parts where there are fireworks and marching bands. Enjoy the slow and steady, it’s there for a reason.

*Picture courtesy of Dr. Seuss