Waiting For Life To Happen

It seems we are always waiting for life to happen, events, people, awakenings, understanding. How many times have I spoken the words or heard the words, I will do it when. When I have the time, money, energy, space, when, when, when. We begin the waiting game about the time our living life begins and we are fully able to choose life paths. But, I would venture a good guess that it is not the when that matters so much. At the heart of the matter is our fear. It is fear that keeps us waiting more so than the when, when you take pause to contemplate the true reasons we wait. We all tend to think inside our own box of realities based on what worked in the past or that which no longer works in the present. Mostly, what worked in the past. We repeat the way in which we problem solve our challenges, the way we view the world and people, the way in which we move forward into the future. Most of us wait for life to happen to us, are overjoyed when something really good occurs and devastated when life goes awry.

This past Friday, we had four tickets to the ball game. A beautiful evening here in Winnipeg, Canada to sample the food at the venues and enjoy watching the Goldeyes play. There is nothing quite like a ball park hot dog and fries to gratify the rumblings of the belly. At the last minute our friends were not able to attend the game along with us. We might have left the two extra tickets at home and enjoyed the game ourselves but, this time we thought, let’s to do something different. We decided to give our two unused tickets away. Arriving at the ballpark, we came up to the ticket line and approached a couple waiting to purchase tickets for the game. I asked if they would like the two tickets explaining our friends could not make it at the last minute. They were grateful, happy to accept and thanked us for the lovely gesture. Arriving at our seats, we were surprised to learn the couple was from British Columbia visiting our province for the first time. We talked and had a great time at the ball game sharing stories of fishing, children, and places to visit in our province. We did spend some time defending our cold winters and way of life amid the frost and snow, enjoying the looks of horror on the faces of our fellow Canadians. Oh yes, we did manage to catch the ball game, no pun intended. We did not wait for life to just happen, taking the usual route leaving the tickets at home, unused. We opted for adventure, to share our tickets and instead had an unexpected wonderful time. We made life happen, differently. Friendly Manitoba is our motto and we were more than happy to live up to our reputation.

So really, why do we wait. Why wait for life to happen to us when we possess so much drive and ambition to create the life we want. Why let all your fears prevent the wonderful from taking place? Fear is a product of our thoughts, thoughts that may not in fact be true. What we fear, in all likelihood, will never happen. Instead, imagine all the possibilities, beautiful opportunities and experiences waiting to be etched onto your soul. Waiting out of fear gives rise to conversations such as, if only, regrets for opportunities not taken or even explored, places never visited, people not seen, money not found, jobs not applied for, creative talents cast aside. Waiting, always waiting for the right time, place, person, opportunity. Life lived is not long when you arrive at the third act of your life and wonder where exactly did time go. Time passes more quickly, the days shorter, health and mobility not what it once was.  Why, oh why, did I wait. That fear now seems so insignificant. If only.