Time is Your Friend
I wouldn't say I'm the type of person who collects enemies. Not because I'm somehow abnormally kind or diplomatic, but because I don't really have it in my heart to harbor active resentment toward someone for a long period of time. Who am I kidding? It's probably more of a laziness thing than a capacity thing. It's exhausting to have enemies! From another perspective, sometimes I wonder if I even stand out enough to attract enemies? I'm a fairly compliant person, I don't usually rock the boat (at least in noisy or noticeable ways) and I don't like drawing attention to myself. Maybe I would have more enemies if I was more boisterous? I will never know.
But one enemy I have made for myself has notoriously been time. How much do I have? How have I used it? Will I have enough to do what I need to? Have I wasted it? Time, it appeared to me, chose sides, and I wasn't on the right one.
I'd say one of the core elements of my personal growth over the past several years has been this shift in perspective, a choice of how I'm going to relate to this thing called time. Will I harbor resentment toward it? Will I disdain it? Will I feel at odds with it? Or will I be grateful for it, open to it, and trusting of it?
(as an aside, I realize it comes naturally for me to write polarities and "either, or" statements... I'm curious as to why that is, but oh well, just wanted to interrupt my own thoughts to say that!)
Back to the point...
Over lunch today (tacos if you were wondering) a group of my girlfriends and I sat chatting about life and transitions and accountability and vulnerability and openness and faith (and pretty much think sisterhood of the traveling pants or something along those lines and you're imagining correctly). As a friend was sharing about how she was learning to trust and communicate with others openly about herself, and how sometimes it feels like people want answers on a deadline, or with a sense of urgency. I mean, I get it - I'm actually usually that person who has a deadline for other people to give me answers, hah. I'm getting better, though, to be still and patient (because Jesus is kind to me and keeps helping me grow). Anyway, in response to this topic, another friend of mine gently said, "Time is your friend." Those words struck me in the moment, and they continue to now, as I think about them more.
I don't really have too much to articulate about what is striking to me about it, but the sentiment is something I'm drawn to. Perhaps, it's because I've made intentions of working on my habits of rest and patience and "trusting the process" (one of my least favorite grad school phrases, but it seems to be coming full circle back into my life, haha) that I've realized time and I are not estranged, but friends. Time is not against me, but holds so many layers of information, feedback, and healing. Maybe I'll figure out more to say about it at a different time (see, that's another cool thing about time, you can put things in a holding container and look at them later with fresh eyes, where you'll be able to see and express more things than you could before).
But I know one thing, right now, about time. It's tea time. :)
But one enemy I have made for myself has notoriously been time. How much do I have? How have I used it? Will I have enough to do what I need to? Have I wasted it? Time, it appeared to me, chose sides, and I wasn't on the right one.
I'd say one of the core elements of my personal growth over the past several years has been this shift in perspective, a choice of how I'm going to relate to this thing called time. Will I harbor resentment toward it? Will I disdain it? Will I feel at odds with it? Or will I be grateful for it, open to it, and trusting of it?
(as an aside, I realize it comes naturally for me to write polarities and "either, or" statements... I'm curious as to why that is, but oh well, just wanted to interrupt my own thoughts to say that!)
Back to the point...
Over lunch today (tacos if you were wondering) a group of my girlfriends and I sat chatting about life and transitions and accountability and vulnerability and openness and faith (and pretty much think sisterhood of the traveling pants or something along those lines and you're imagining correctly). As a friend was sharing about how she was learning to trust and communicate with others openly about herself, and how sometimes it feels like people want answers on a deadline, or with a sense of urgency. I mean, I get it - I'm actually usually that person who has a deadline for other people to give me answers, hah. I'm getting better, though, to be still and patient (because Jesus is kind to me and keeps helping me grow). Anyway, in response to this topic, another friend of mine gently said, "Time is your friend." Those words struck me in the moment, and they continue to now, as I think about them more.
I don't really have too much to articulate about what is striking to me about it, but the sentiment is something I'm drawn to. Perhaps, it's because I've made intentions of working on my habits of rest and patience and "trusting the process" (one of my least favorite grad school phrases, but it seems to be coming full circle back into my life, haha) that I've realized time and I are not estranged, but friends. Time is not against me, but holds so many layers of information, feedback, and healing. Maybe I'll figure out more to say about it at a different time (see, that's another cool thing about time, you can put things in a holding container and look at them later with fresh eyes, where you'll be able to see and express more things than you could before).
But I know one thing, right now, about time. It's tea time. :)
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