“The world is all gates, all opportunities, strings of tension waiting to be struck.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Writing and waiting are spelled differently by only one letter, which I didn’t notice until the day I sloppily wrote “writing” in all caps on a wrinkled piece of paper. When I glanced back at the note, the R looked like an A.
Interesting, huh?
Maybe the better question if you’re a writer is “Frustrating, huh?”
Maybe the best question of all is “Why didn’t I pay more attention before I signed up for freelance writing?”
Doors have opened and slammed this year like wind flapping a broken shutter. I’ve told God a thing or two lately, especially about patience.
Mostly I’ve said “I have waited long enough.”
There was the well-known builder who contacted me to write for his blog. He forwarded the link to his online writing test. Once I passed, he never sent the first assignment.
A marketing company offered to fly me, along with other home improvement bloggers, to Indianapolis for Delta Faucet’s preview of new products. Details were vague and travel plans weren’t communicated until a week before the trip. By then, I had declined the invitation. A couple of months later, I read about the conference on someone else’s blog.
A national magazine asked for an article under speculation and showed interest in queries, but never responded in the eight weeks they said, or in the eight months since.
By mid-2010, I figured it was time to look elsewhere. I applied to clean a furniture store, work at the local technical college, return to a former job, write Santa letters. Those landed on the waiting list also, right along with the house we had for sale.
What I didn’t realize was God wasn’t giving me writing opportunities because he had something better in mind. Waiting opportunities. How could I ever thank him?
Life got you down? What do you think about growing up?
WRite wHere I’m supposed to be – In the end, I did some of both (thanking and growing up). I thanked God since, even though my impatience overshadowed his love, he didn’t overlook me. The lesson in waiting did me good. I grew up a little because practicing patience typically matures a person whether we like it or not.
On the lighter side: Our daughter is planning an October wedding. We giggled when I mentioned I had grown up some and may be attending as mother-of-the-bride instead of flower girl.
Quite an interesting and inspirational take on the situation.
Glad you can attend the wedding as parents of the bride! Love the twist of humor.
Wish you lived closer. You could have heard even more about it! I know, I know, the emails were enough. Thanks for commenting.
Well where am I going to find a new ring bearer and flower girl. 🙂
That\’s your problem now that Dad and I are all grown up. Lol.
Waiting….an activity I know well. Thanks for this perspective.
Aren\’t we lucky to have so much practice at it? : ) Thanks for stopping by and commenting.