Wait!

A young man came to a Zen master to learn about meditation.

The Zen master asked, ‘Are you capable of waiting?’
The young man asked, ‘Of course, how long?’
The master said, ‘That is enough for me to reject you!’

So often, we claim we are ready to wait to acquire a life skill, yet we are impatient about actually doing so. So often, when we want something, we also want it quick. We swear that we are committed to the distant destination, but we crave for shortcuts to reach there. We want results, but we are not ready to wait.

In fact, the inability to wait, oft results in giving up of the pursuit. Surely, it can be foolish to be seized with impatience and hence be disconnected from the real experience of the journey. It is said so well that ‘time flies slowly to the one whose occupation is to watch its flight’. Waiting turns more tedious for those who are not ready to wait.

For instance, to learn to play music one needs to be willing to wait, for it is never about being good; it is always about being better! The same applies for most worthy pursuits. Commitment (to claim them) cannot be a time-defined contract. If we are sincere in our outlook, it must be reflected in our readiness to focus on the quality of the journey rather than the quantum of time.

Persons, who focus on the journey, enjoy the real transformational experience. Those, who are over conscious of the passing time and date, neither savour the experience nor do they get closer to their desired destination. The restlessness results in losing focus of the vision and mission they set out to pursue. Hence it is best to acquire the willingness to wait!

Focus on the path, not on the passing date

Let’s BE BETTER at the attitude to wait...

- Pravin K. Sabnis