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Columns : Opinions - Joye Ritchie Greene Last Updated: Feb 6, 2017 - 2:32:04 PM


What are You Waiting For?
By Joye Ritchie-Greene
Oct 22, 2007 - 10:16:54 AM

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A few days ago an avid reader of this column exclaimed that he could not “wait ‘til Monday.” My ego leads me to believe that he is excited to read this column each week. I therefore thank you for that sentiment, kind sir.

Waiting for Monday of course contradicts Sally Stevens who crones that “rainy days and Mondays always get me down.” In a way, I suppose we should count ourselves fortunate that we have seven days from which to choose, so we could have one least favourite day.

Monday, unfortunately, has been the least favourite for many on this side of the world because it marks the beginning of the workweek for most adults and the beginning of the school week for students. If the whole idea of the “workweek” seems to put people in a slump, is there any day that would make them cry out, “I can’t wait for …?

While we may think that waiting for our “lucky number to fall” is the most popular waiting game in our country there is one waiting game that surpasses this by miles. Ah yes, the wait for the most favourite day in the week – Friday. I told someone on Friday to enjoy the rest of her day, and she said, “of course I will, it’s Friday.”

Yes, many of us definitely look forward to Fridays. We are so anxious for its arrival that we are counting down the hours from Wednesday. There are even persons who work a six-day week or work in an industry that never shuts down who look forward to Fridays.

So while we are waiting for Fridays, for a number to fall or our name to be called to see the doctor are we actually living in the moment? For many individuals, they are not alert to their present time. Their minds are usually wandering towards another time and space hoping to pass through painlessly in their wait.

Every doctor’s office has a waiting room, and we are programmed to prepare ourselves to wait each time we visit a doctor. Are we programmed to wait for life to happen to us?

We know that the moment we enter this world the clock begins counting down to our death. While this may sound a bit morbid to some of you, it is a fact. But while this may be true, we do not usually wait around for life to happen, or do we?

Our lives are usually filled with activity to disguise the wait or perhaps to ignore the wait. But we must not stand around and wait. Perhaps the thought should not be to wait for it, but rather look at opportunities to make it happen now, whatever that “it” may be.

We all should be aspiring for something in our lives so each day we should make strides to achieve that end. But many of us are still waiting for something. Many of us are waiting for our proverbial ship to come in. But from where is the ship coming and for what purpose?

It is very easy to fall into a lackluster mode; to sit back and wait for our great moment. This is why lotteries work so well, in our case, buying numbers at illegal gambling houses. I do apologize; I meant to say web shops.

We call for the numbers in our dreams and dare not utter them aloud. We scribble the digits on a piece of paper to be given to the “web master.” We then wait. Yes, we wait for the numbers to roll over and eventually fall in our favour.

This week while you wait for your number fall or your name to be called, ask yourself if you are actually in the present or waiting in vain. The incomparable Robert Nestor Marley said he did not want to “wait in vain” for the love of his woman. Are you living your life waiting in vain? Or is there meaning and purpose to all that you do, even when you are waiting?

A lady-in-waiting knows for what reason she is waiting; do you? This week I challenge you to be aware of each time you need to wait for something. During this waiting period I invite you to ask yourself if you are waiting with purpose or merely filling time in this space.

About the author: Joye Ritchie-Greene is an Educational Consultant, Writer and Martial Arts Instructor. She is the owner/operator of The Bahamas Martial Arts Academy; president of Time-Out Productions; and is also a columnist for the Freeport News. She has a B.A. in English and an M.S. in Human Resources, resides in Freeport, Grand Bahama with her husband and enjoys playing tennis. Joye can be reached at joye_hel_ena@hotmail.com  


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