In Hermann Hesse's short and brilliant work of historical fiction, Siddhartha, the eponymous main character wanders into the woods to presumably find the meaning of life. He ends up in a town of sin and commerce in which he ultimately thrives. At first, however, it is difficult for his new boss to see his value. He tells his boss, "I can think, I can wait, I can fast," and employs his unique skills to his advantage.
In music as well we see the theme of waiting, from Tom Petty to Bob Marley and many in between, before and since, speaking of the displeasure in having to wait for someone or something. No doubt this, the problem of waiting, has been one experienced by our ancestors since they were hairier and arboreal.
So why haven't we developed a defense for it? I am inpatient and whatever it is, I want it now or sooner if possible. This month seems to have been a month of waiting. I have been waiting for my new job to start, word on when it will start, waiting for people to follow through on what they have said they would do. And it's not just me. My friend has been in agony all week waiting for someone else to make a decision so his career can get going.
This may be the time for a new approach. Either I can learn to be patient, which would probably work most of the time, or I can use the approach that I do not wait for things, the train is leaving the station, and I am ready for shit to happen. I don't have time to waste (except when I want to, but I don't really consider that a waste) and if I accumulate all my time other people would have wasted at the end of the year, I use that extra time to lounge in the tropics, frosty and full glass in hand, getting ready for another surf.
Will this work? We will see.
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