Definition of "waiting" 1) to remain stationary in readiness or expectation 2) to look forward or back expectantly Seems to me that much of our time is spent doing this waiting. Waiting for a swim, waiting for calls, waiting on appointments, waiting for vacation, waiting on someone, or waiting for SOMETHING. In my gentle research on the subject, I was spooked to read that the average American spends 37 hours waiting in line each year. Most Americans spent 13 hours annually waiting on hold. The average American commuter spends 38 hours each year waiting in traffic.
A survey in Great Britain found the average Briton spends almost 7 years "waiting around" - about 11% of their whole life. To me it appears, waiting is a form of time theft. The very act of "waiting" becomes an act in itself. Time is frittered away. But it does not have to be. Consider this "waiting time" to be "empty time." So this "empty time" could be a gift. A gift of time. A gift of reflection. A gift of creativity. One CAN change the way one waits. Recently I decided to calculate how I spend time waiting. Uncharacteristically, I happened to have a schedule free afternoon. And I happened to be waiting on two important phone calls that would clarify some health matters for me. I carried anxiety surrounding the outcome of the calls. I noticed that I was fretting time away. Checking my phone time and again for no apparent reason. So as a personal distraction, I mapped out an hour-by-hour schedule that I filled in after the hours went by. A backwards agenda. No personal judgement. I just wanted to know how I spent time waiting. My time spent waiting was filled with reorganizing the farm office (I find it relaxing to re-organize space), grooming horses (also a very relaxing activity), and weeding the garden (ALSO a relaxing activity for me). By the time I got the calls, I was breathing deeply, smiling, and amazed at how "waiting" had turned into relaxing. So my question is: how do you spend your time waiting? To long summer days. With gratitude,
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