Do you ever grow tired of waiting? Waiting for the work-day to end, waiting for Friday to arrive, waiting for the exciting trip you have planned for the summer, or simply waiting for the light to turn green as you sit in traffic trying to get home after a long day’s work? For the past couple years, I feel like I’ve spent my time waiting, waiting on life to just happen to me. Being a single mother, I don’t have the freedom and endless possibilities that some people have (nor do most mothers for that matter). Some days I find myself standing over a pile of dirty dishes or staring at the mountainous load of laundry before me as I think to myself, “when will it be my time?”
My story
I have been a single mother for quite a while now, and I’m surrounded by friends who are getting engaged, married, and welcoming new life to the family. Everyone seems to be carrying on with their lives as if they were graced with blessing upon blessing with smiles, love, and a hopeful future to look forward to …
… and then there’s me.
I spend my days caring for my daughter, teaching 7th graders English, and finding myself drowning in household duties that will NEVER end. I’m tired, I’m cranky, and I’ve waited enough. I’ve waited to find the perfect guy, I’ve waited to find the perfect job, I’ve waited to find the perfect group of friends who are so close I could call them my sisters, I’ve waited to be happy, I’ve waited to be fulfilled. But I have news that will officially break the years of waiting … THE WAIT IS OVER!
The Process
The process of waiting can be a cruel and tiresome endeavor. The more waiting that takes place, the more miserable our lives become.
The true secret here, is to not wait, but enjoy your life UNTIL what you are “waiting” for arrives. The minute you begin to enjoy the life you have, the minute your dreams and desires will follow.
Now, that’s not to say that all the days of our lives are to be filled with happiness and laughter, because let’s be real here, that’s not possible! I do not believe life is meant to be lived for the sheer goal of being happy but to enjoy the process as you go. Life is about the journey. The more you enjoy the journey, the less “waiting” you will have to do.
How do we NOT wait?
Here’s the answer: enjoy the simple pleasures of life. What makes you come alive at the mere thought? What peaks your energy? What makes you smile? What are you put here on this earth to do? Fill your life with things you love doing. Maybe it’s lending a helping hand. Maybe it’s turning up the music really loud in your car with the windows rolled down. Maybe it’s cooking your favorite dish with your favorite person, or a bubble bath at the end of a long day, or simply quality time spent with friends and family. Fill your life with the simple pleasures and it will ultimately lead you to your purpose-driven life.
Some people are destined to be mothers, wives, political leaders, educators, business owners, while others may be destined to give in any way they can. How can you make the world a little bit better each day? Strive to be the best version of yourself that you can be, and the “waiting” will no longer feel like waiting. Because the minute you stop waiting and decide to go out, fulfill your purpose, and find joy in the simple things, “waiting” on the big things won’t be so bad.
Love YOUR Life
No longer will I “wait” for the perfect guy or the perfect job or the perfect group of friends. No longer will I “wait” anxiously at the red light for it to turn green. No longer will I “wait” for life to bestow happiness upon me, but I will enjoy every waking minute of the life that has been given to me. Everyone is dealt a different hand at life. Play what good cards you have and enjoy the ride along the way. But above all things – do not wait.
