I spend more time than I would like waiting in lines lately.
The line at the grocery store.
The line at school drop off.
The line at the pharmacy.
That last one is the worst.
And it doesn't matter whether I go inside and stand in line or go through the drive-through. The wait is always long.
Unless I go at 10:00 at night. But...that's past my bedtime these days.
Last week, I was waiting patiently in line. For the first 10 minutes or so.
The car in front of me hadn't moved the entire time I was there. Hadn't even interacted with the woman at the window.
Fifteen minutes went by.
Then twenty.
Still no movement.
I started to get frustrated. I had places to go, errands to run, precious minutes to get through all of the things on my list.
And then I looked up.
Caught the view of the sunset through the windshield. The beautiful, deep oranges and reds, lighting up the sky.
And I took a breath.
I had to pause and remind myself that I couldn't change this situation.
There was now a car behind me, so even if I wanted to, I couldn't back all the way out of the drive through and leave.
Also, I needed that prescription.
I gave myself a little pep talk.
I said, "Self...how about just enjoying this view and finding something productive to do with this time you have while you're waiting?"
Once in awhile I give really good advice! The key is for me to actually listen to it.
So...I took a moment to admire the view. Snapped a couple pictures.
Then made a phone call to a friend I hadn't talked to in awhile and caught up with her. We had a good laugh about my situation.
I called the furnace company and scheduled the tune-up and furnace check that I should have scheduled the week before.
I went online and booked a massage for a few weeks from now. I'm going to need one after that half-marathon I'm running next week!
And then the car ahead of me moved.
It was finally my turn!
When I pulled up to the window, I noticed the woman behind it looked tired.
She was covering not only the drive-through but the inside window as well at the pharmacy. There was a long line in the store as well.
I was grateful that I had shifted my mindset.
Had I been frustrated and anxious about the long wait, I might not have been as empathetic and kind as she really needed me to be.
I thanked her for my prescription and told her I appreciated her. I'm sure she doesn't hear that enough.
Most of us don't.
Sometimes it takes a sky full of color to help us pause and find ways to maintain perspective, even in the most frustrating moments.
Life moves at breakneck speed these days. Waiting can be so frustrating.
But in reality, the times that we have to wait can be much needed opportunities for us to slow down.
Because we have no other choice.
And while we're there, we might as well enjoy the view.
Visit my author page on Amazon
Or find my book at Barnes and Noble
And at our local Oconomowoc Bookstore - Books & Company
Comentarios