“I had tended to view waiting as mere passivity. When I looked it up in my dictionary however, I found that the words passive and passion come from the same Latin root, pati, which means to endure. Waiting is thus both passive and passionate. It’s a vibrant, contemplative work.”—Sue Monk Kidd
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As a kid, I harbored aspirations of visiting the United States. The allure of Hollywood films ignited a desire within me to experience the land of opportunity. My friends, however, dismissed my ambitions during my high school years, declaring them unattainable.
Despite their skepticism, I remained undeterred in my pursuit of this dream. I found solace in the Biblical assertion that “what is impossible for man is possible for Him.” This promise became a source of strength for me, and each night, I would pray for the realization of my aspirations.
Yet, the more fervently I wished to go, the more elusive it seemed. Eventually, I resolved to release my fixation on this dream, recognizing that I did not want it to consume my life. Ultimately, I understood that existence encompasses more than mere aspirations; it is grounded in reality, while dreams often remain intangible.
Subsequently, my life appeared to have become more manageable. I was able to redirect my energy towards various pursuits, including my career in journalism. I served as an information officer for a non-governmental organization located in my hometown while also contributing articles to several national newspapers and an international news agency.
Having long since set aside my childhood aspirations, I was taken aback one day when I received an email inquiring if I would be interested in co-authoring a paper on water and population for the Environmental Change and Security Project at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C.
The invitation caught me completely off guard. Despite having received numerous journalism awards up to that point, I had not anticipated that my achievements would be acknowledged in this manner. It was actually Don Hinrichsen, a prominent environmental journalist in the United States, who had recommended me as a co-author. Editor Jennifer Kaczor promptly extended the invitation.
I did not respond to the invitation right away. Instead, I engaged in prayer and consulted with my family and friends, seeking their insights. I pondered whether the invitation was divinely inspired and if it represented the fulfillment of my childhood prayers.
“Are you certain you can do this?” asked Jeff Palmer, the director of the organization I was affiliated with. I interpreted his question as both a challenge and a divine affirmation, prompting me to proceed. And so, I did!
It took over twenty years for my prayers to be answered, but the wait proved to be worthwhile. Everything was meticulously arranged for me. When I met with Don in 2000 at his office in the UN Population Fund in New York City to draft the paper, the process unfolded seamlessly.
By 2002, the final document was presented at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C.
Today, I know what American prolific author Joseph Campbell meant when he said, “We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” Nobel Peace Prize winner Woodrow T. Wilson added: “All things come to him who waits – provided he knows what he is waiting for.”
Life is a waiting game. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said it well: “All things come round to him who will but wait.” Cardinal J. Newman said this: “Nothing would be done at all if one waited until one could do it so well that no one could find fault with it.”
Everyone must wait; no one is exempt. In this period of waiting, it is necessary to line up and await your turn—particularly when desiring to view a film, make a purchase at a shopping center, or have your birth certificate verified. Furthermore, obtaining a visa also requires joining a queue.
Geoffrey Chaucer said: “Time and tide wait for no man.” Gabriel Garcia Marquez surmised: “He who awaits much can expect little.” American president Dwight D. Eisenhower forwarded this idea: “Neither a wise nor a brave man lies down on the tracks of history to wait for the train of the future to run over him.”
But Anthony Robbins, an American advisor to leaders, pointed out: “You must know that in any moment a decision you make can change the course of your life forever: the very next person stand behind in line or sit next to on an airplane, the very next phone call you make or receive, the very next movie you see or book you read or page you turn could be the one single thing that causes the floodgates to open, and all of the things that you’ve been waiting for to fall into place.”
However, do not merely remain passive; do something. Remember the story of Juan Tamad, who waited for the guava to drop into his mouth. He had the option to climb and retrieve the guava himself.
“Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask,” French writer Jules Renard reminds. “Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it.”
But there are people who don’t believe in waiting. Ralph Waldo Emerson asked: “How much of human life is lost in waiting?”
Robert Anthony considers waiting a trap. He explains: “There will always be reasons to wait,” he explains. “The truth is, there are only two things in life, reasons and results, and reasons simply don’t count.”
On waiting, the Bible states: “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
