From Frustration to Anticipation

I'm waiting for something to happen. Now it's not guaranteed to happen, just like most things in life aren't guaranteed, other than being born and dying. But it's something I've been waiting for in a somewhat passive way for more than 20 years and rather more actively in the past couple of years or so.

For those who know me, you know I'm a Type-A personality so when I have my mind set on something, I set about to get that thing done. Whether it's booking a ticket for one of my many international ventures, buying my first smartphone, or preparing a meal for 20 people, if I decide to do something I get it done. This is good--except when it comes to circumstances that I cannot control. See, the Type-A personalities are also somewhat of control people too. They get things done because they know exactly how they want to get them done.

I'm learning that in life, there are times when being a Type-A is not necessarily the easiest. I often end up frustrated because I cannot control the people around me, I cannot manipulate circumstances to achieve an end result that I think is best for everyone, and I cannot decide what the outcome will be when it involves more than just me. Which is generally just about every day!

I was thinking today about what I'm waiting for and in the midst of my frustration, I suddenly realized something. I could choose to be frustrated with the waiting or I could wait excitedly in anticipation. Either way, the outcome would not change, neither would the time I had to wait, but my mood would most definitely improve.

I sat on the roof overlooking the night city and saw a commercial airliner slipping over the Mediterranean Sea. All I could see were wing and taillights as it glided down across the horizon but I knew it was a plane as every day I looked out my office window and watched planes coming in for a landing. My mind jumped ahead to the next trip I hoped to take and though I was eagerly anticipating seeing dear ones, instead of focusing on them I was thinking about coming home. It was still so far away but I was already anticipating seeing another dear one on my return.

It's like that every time I travel. I don't waste a lot of emotional energy being frustrated that I have to wait for weeks or months to see my loved ones. I spend that time being excited that the time is getting closer and closer until I can be with them. I know that all too soon the precious time with them will have vanished and I will be saying goodbye.

Perhaps God sees things like that too. Though I'm sure He wishes time would pass sooner so He can come and change this world into perfection, I imagine that He is waiting in eager anticipation for that day. He's excited because He knows what is going to happen. He's been waiting for thousands of years and it won't be much longer now until He can see His dream and our dream come true to be reunited forever.

So today I choose to wait in anticipation. Both for what I am hoping for and for what I know with certainty will happen. It's not much longer now. . .