Reflect

Tom Petty tapped our collective angst with his famous rock-n-roll chorus, “The waiting is the hardest part.” It can sure feel that way sometimes. Waiting ranges from the mildly irritating, like being stuck on hold on the phone, to the distressing, like awaiting health news or realizing that our vision for social change may not come to fruition in our lifetimes. As tough as it is to wait, there’s almost always a simultaneous opportunity. It could be the gift of a few quiet moments, the reminder to connect with a friend, or the chance to remember that our contribution today shapes the long arc of history. When we allow the frustrations of waiting to supersede the opportunities, we actually forfeit those minutes or hours or days — even if all they held was simply the opportunity to breathe, slow down, and give thanks.