On waiting

The Nester created the 31 day writing challenge.  I'm looking forward to joining in and pushing to the end of 31 days with a breath of fresh air of creativity. To get my writing flowing, I'm writing 31 Days of Being Me.

I don't have a ton of posts hanging out in my drafts, but this is a post I put together in June during concert season.  Today I barely missed the 12:45 bus home, and had to wait until past 1 for the next bus.  At that point, I remembered this post I'd written:

Tonight I had rehearsal, and stayed downtown, while my family went home for dinner, and came to get me again when I was done.  I found a ledge to sit on to wait, and waited.  While I was waiting, I watched the Yale shuttle pass me twice.  Part of me wanted to hop on the bus and go, but it wouldn't take me home, no matter how much I'd want it to.  I had a ride coming, a direct line to my home, full of people I love on the way to just get me.  I wondered what the people around me waiting for the shuttle thought when I didn't get on.  Not much after perhaps noticing I wasn't joining them.

It occurred to me as I waited that this is like life: sometimes parts of life are like waiting for a ride.  You need to get somewhere (home), or accomplish something.  There are many options to take.  Some look great, but you have to make sure the options will take you where you need to go. Taking the bus that goes east won't help you if home is in the west. Taking a bus may be less effective than having a friend get you.  

Knowing what you want in life is important, as important as knowing your address.  When opportunities come past, you can filter them like you filter the shuttle that comes by.  Will this opportunity (job, relationship, purchase, etc.) lead me to my desired outcome (happiness at work, enough money, friendship, marriage, debt-free).

It is more challenging to filter opportunities in life the way you do when you pick your bus, but the process is the same.  Where do I want to go? Where does God want me to go?  Will this take me there? If it doesn't, then I will not hop aboard. 

The others waiting on the corner with me can go that way if they like, but not me.  I may have to wait longer, but my ride comes to take me home, exactly where I need to be.

Where do you need to be? Which ride will take you where you need to go?

day twenty-three: Inspired
day twenty-four:
day twenty-five: Five Minute Friday :: Together
day twenty-six: Shalom Y'all
day twenty-seven: When, not if
day twenty-eight: On Waiting