Winters in my city are cold. I’m not talking chilly, or even just cold, really. It is bitter and piercing, and windy. Last month we had a blizzard and the entire city was shut down and instructed to not leave their homes unless absolutely necessary for the entire day. We got about 2 feet in some places. It was up to my thighs. Our first campus-wide snow days since 1973. The springtime, though, it perfect. Every bad feeling that winter brings is washed away when the spring comes because it is so wonderful. The grass is the purest shade of green, and the skies are all blue all the time. The sun shines so much and bird songs carry on the breezes. It sounds like a children’s storybook or sing-a-long, but that is truly how it is. Everyone glows with delight in the springtime.
My friend Claire and I were talking the other day about if the spring is really that marvelous, or if maybe it is just more appreciated because we have truly earned it. It made me wonder how much satisfaction is created out of the waiting time. If everything was handed to us with no questions asked and no hard work or perseverance, would it really be worth as much? Part of the value of having things is the fact that we worked for it, the uncertainty of whether we would reach our goals or receive our desires, the excitement building while we wait for it. If everyone had trophies or got love right on the first try, it wouldn’t be something unique or enticing. It would be just like getting up and brushing your teeth in the morning. It isn’t something we earn or look forward to; it is just something that happens to everyone.
Patience is one of the most difficult things to deal with, mostly because of the uncertainty it brings. I am slowly more and more convinced that waiting is worth it, though. It is still freezing here, but I will keep you posted on how the springtime turns out.
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