Oyasama once said:
“A stormy wind never lasts forever. Therefore, wait by crouching down when it is blowing and set out after it stops.”
Anecdotes of Oyasama, no. 183
Living as we do in this day and age, we are quite busy. We use our ingenuity to try to manage our busy schedule in a way that allows us to work as efficiently as possible. Yet this may mean that we are not good at waiting. For example, we may get angry if caught in a traffic jam and feel irritated in a restaurant when our order is taking longer than expected.
There are times in our lives when we feel stuck and cannot see a way forward. At such times, becoming impatient can only worsen the situation.
If we have no alternative but to wait, we might as well come to terms with it and enjoy waiting. The periods of time when we cannot move forward are times to wait, to be patient. They can be seen as provided by Oyasama, our Parent.
We may find ourselves waiting to recover from an illness, for someone to arrive, for the situation to settle down, for the times to change, and so forth. Yet, no matter what our situation is, we can be secure in the knowledge that leaving everything to Oyasama will never lead to regret. Being patient, instead of anxious or tense, does not mean resignation. Trusting completely in Oyasama as we wait will enable us to respond promptly and effectively when an opportunity presents itself.
There is no such thing as rain that never stops or a night that never ends. On a rainy day, we can spend our time doing things that are suitable for rainy days. At night, we can spend our time doing things that are suitable for nighttime. We can drop our shoulders and appreciate everything for what it is. This helps to develop a quality of patience and spaciousness that allows us to enjoy waiting.
In a painting, it is the space in the background that gives depth and dimension to the things painted, whether they are people or objects. In a piece of music, it is the pauses between notes that bring out the melody.
The day will certainly come when we realize that the time we spent waiting was crucial to the rich fruits that we enjoy.