Sunday, December 2, 2007

worth the wait

I had procrastinated long enough! Snow was in the forecast and I had to have new tires for my car. So I walked into a local tire store and agreed to the painful price. He warned me that it could be over 2 hours which I had already figured out when I saw the room full of people "waiting" with morose looks on their faces.

I settled in and opened the I book I brought with me but there was so much activity I kept peeking over the rim of the book to people watch. I have to tell you the energy level in that room was "Woe is me!"

Now I am pretty sure they were all given the same time estimate as I was given. I chose the path of acceptance, after all it was my own fault that I didn't come in the week earlier. Like caged tigers most of the customers paced back and forth, watching through the glass into the garage. One guy actually paced out into the cold garage part scrutinizing every step as his tires were removed and replaced...is that a guy thing?

There was a young woman who might have been a princess in her other life. She was so above this process of sitting in a crowded waiting room with common folk (waiting and common being the operative words here).

The fellow next me would jump up and get a drink, sit down jump up and grab a magazine, sit down and jump up to make a cell phone call, sit down...

So what is my point? Slow down! This is life! It hurtles by fast enough as it is. Waiting for tires is no less sacred than singing in the church choir or caring for a sick child. Why make any part of life more miserable by flitting about and focusing on the inconveniences? I know for a fact, life is inconvenient most of the time. And I admit to pacing at times myself, but I wish that I didn't and am gloating that my "waiting" mates lost the chance to mellow and I, this time, used the opportunity.

Epilogue, it did snow and I was thankful that I had safe tires that brought me home without incident last night.