The Winding Path

Have you ever noticed that sometimes, now matter how much you might want to, you simply can't go straight to where you want to go? Sometimes the path to our destination is long and winding. It seems as though, for some reason, we have to go through a lot of things before we can reach the place we wish to reach.

I grow impatient sometimes, when i want something to be done NOW. I often expect myself to be able to figure things out quickly and accurately with no wavering. This isn't really very realistic.

I do know that sometimes, when I'm trying to solve a complex problem I have to think about something, roll it around in my mind, come at it from different angles, try different approaches, feel very lost... and then suddenly everything crystallizes and comes together. It might come in a flash, but there was a long, slow, sometimes frustrating lead up to the solution!

I guess the qualities that are needed in such situations are patience and trust. We need to remember that there is a solution and that we will get there if we keep working the problem and let the answer emerge.

These days I'm working on some complex projects that are not quick to complete. There are many decisions to be made, and those decisions need to take into account a lot of information and possibilities. It takes time and it takes a lot of 'trial runs' through different scenarios to see if they will handle what needs to be handled.

It's all part of the process. Growing impatient doesn't help anything. In fact it can thwart the creative process. Feeling like something is 'wrong' because the end result is not achieved just wastes energy.

Maybe we find ourselves in situations that take time to resolve so we can cultivate the qualities of patience and trust. Perhaps those experiences are like our curriculum for learning these two important aspects of a happy life!

Next time you find yourself wishing you were 'through' something and that it was all 'settled' and 'figured out,' remember that you are being given an opportunity to demonstrate and cultivate patience and trust in the process of life itself! When we have these gifts, life becomes much easier and more pleasant to live!