Sunday Special: The Art of Waiting.

I'm a very inpatient person. This is why I find it extremely hard to focus on any given task if there is something lined up ahead. It can be anything from something grand to something completely stupid. A visit to a theatre or a baking spree. A meeting with a long-unseen friend or a shopping trip. I know this is very bad and I would be better off just focusing on one thing at the time, but it's difficult sometimes.

We are just entering Advent today and Advent is traditionally called a time of waiting. The problem with waiting is, however, that most of us is doing it wrong. I really do recommend reading this, it's a beautiful text on what waiting really should be like. As Father Henri writes:

"We can only really wait if what we are waiting for has already begun for us. So waiting is never a movement from nothing to something. It is always a movement from something to something more."

Here's the thing. When I impatiently wait for something, I sort of assume that that something is in the future, that now is somewhat deficient. So by waiting for the future, present is completely missed. I don't pay attention. I just want to move on. It seems that in the world that constantly wants us to do something and get somewhere, we've completely lost the art of waiting. The art of being patient, attentive, still.

So this Advent, I want to try to wait in the present. Do one thing at the time. Enjoy now. Because good things start now. In fact, they are already here. I just need to notice them.