Hurry Up And Be Patient!

You've heard it said, "Hurry up and wait!" But learning to wait calmly is an important part of living. In this age of high-speed connections and instantaneous results, it helps to remember that the Mayflower made its historic voyage across the Atlantic Ocean at about two miles per hour! How did those early settlers occupy their time as they were waiting to arrive?

I love the story of a passenger on Britain's Imperial Airways, a company that pioneered air travel between England and Australia in the mid-1930s. "If you have time to spare, go by air," was the popular expression of the day. Airliners were both slow and incapable of flying long distances.

One of the very first flights took off from Croydon Airport near London and flew to northern France where it was delayed extensively due to bad weather. When it arrived in the south of France, one of the motors had failed and it was necessary to wait for another engine to be shipped by sea from England. There were further lengthy delays along the route in Rome, Cairo, the Middle East, etc., until finally the flight had progressed as far as Singapore.

At this point a lady passenger asked the manager in Singapore if he thought the flight would arrive in Australia in the next few weeks because she was expecting a baby shortly.

"My dear lady," he replied, "you should never have commenced your trip in that condition."

She replied, "I didn't."

Next time you miss a flight, think about her predicament and "hurry up and be patient"! The sooner you're patient, the easier your life will become. When you're patient, you can relax and enjoy the ride.

There is great benefit in learning to wait calmly and creatively. Here is a "waiting checklist" to test your waiting skills:

• Do you expect delays, or do they catch you unawares? Do you anticipate those times when you are likely to have to wait?
  
  
• Do you calmly let your inner motor idle though others around you may be stripping their gears?
  
  
• Do you welcome unexpected delays as a gift of time, which can be used creatively? Do you use the free time to plan ahead or quietly meditate (to get in touch with your soul)?
  
  
• Do you prepare for delays? Do you have work or entertainment handy when forced to wait?

How did you do on the exercise? Are you making the most of your waiting time? We will never escape delays, but we can use them creatively. Now is the time to hurry up and be patient!

    ~ Steve Goodier ~

[ by: Steve Goodier Copyright © 2006 (LifeSupport@yahoogroups.com) -- {used with permission} ]