The azure blue water of the Atlantic lapped against the pilings of the antiquated dock as I sat waiting on a boat to fetch me, my overabundant luggage and carry me to my destination – a quiet little island (known as a Cay). I was going where I had never been and there was a mixture of anticipation and consternation. Anticipation that I was embarking on a new adventure and consternation because my mode of transportation was inordinately late. That is a word that absolutely breaks me out in the hives and the itch. To be sure, that might be a slight exaggeration but I’ve always believed those who do not value my time will certainly not value my wisdom. With each passing tick of the clock, I felt that my patience level was decreasing and my blood pressure was rising. This was not good. I sat awhile on my oversized luggage turned chair. Then I would pace awhile like someone who was making an exit from a very active ant bed.
It was at the apex of that moment that something clicked in my thought processes that really was revolutionary in the sense that I live by it to this day. It was as though God was using this moment to share with me a life-lesson that would last. The dock became my classroom and He was my most valuable teacher. I realized that I could either be perplexed, frustrated and, not a little bit, angry at my inconvenience or I could take a deep breath, look around, appreciate my surroundings and, yes, even enjoy the journey.
Finally, in the distance, just at the horizons edge, I saw something approaching at top speed that must surely be my transport to this wonderful hideaway that I would call home for a few days of rest and relaxation. No such luck. My thoughts were racing as quickly as my pulse. I most certainly was not like Peter in the Bible who had the luxury of walking on the water. That was not an option for me. I couldn’t catch a plane to this future haven of mine as there was no landing strip. I definitely did not want to spend the night under the stars with the tropical bugs on the dock and had not even thought it might be necessary to have made reservations in a local hotel. How long was this test of my “patience quota” going to last? I was already to my limit. Though not verbalizing it out loud, I was most certainly having a lively dialogue in my mind as to what I was going to say to the captain of this aquatic invention if and when he finally arrived.
I made a quality decision that day. I chose to take that deep breath and look at my surroundings filtered through the new lens of an inquisitive adventurer looking for exquisite treasure. The water with its various shades and hues of blue was absolutely breathtaking. To the right of the dock it was like a giant fish aquarium with an endless array of species that any fisherman would have thought they were in heaven. The seagulls were taking nose dives trying to find a scrumptious meal to enjoy from the ocean’s diner. I meandered from the dock onto the sandy beach where I began to methodically sift through the most beautiful collectibles of all time – seashells.
As the sun began to slowly set and the stars would not be long in their arrival I returned to my place of waiting with a new frame of mind. I knew the plans had been made and felt certain that the boat would arrive before much longer. In the meantime, I had already begun to enjoy my adventure of a lifetime with a wonderful gift neatly packaged in the word called patience. There it was. The light piercing the darkness like a beacon signaling the next phase of this marvelous journey was about to begin. I responded to the captain’s greeting with a warm, “Hello. I’m looking forward to seeing your beautiful island.” When he saw all my luggage that was to be loaded on his boat, though he never said a word, I’m sure he thought that I must be going to stay for at least a month rather than a few days. Could this have been a slight payback for his tardiness? I don’t really think so. However, I do know that I’ve learned through whatever circumstance I may find myself, I have the choice to either endure it or enjoy in spite of it. I choose enjoy. Thank you, God, for teaching me patience that day sitting on a dock ….. waiting.
Awesome lesson, thank yo for sharing.
Patience… one of those virtues when I feel I have mastered seems to illude me…. mostly behind the wheel of the car. Thanks for the reminder and keep painting those inspiriationaly pictures……
Very inspiring and great lesson on patience.
“Island time, African time, and Jamaican time,” have a free flowing quality that is often difficult for us Americans. The key word for our mission trips is flexibility and sometimes we just have to take a very deep breath and make ourselves regroup about the “schedule.” Similarly, it reminds me that no matter where we are or what’s going on in our lives that our timing is not necessarily God’s timing. Thanks for sharing, Pastor Diane. It’s a good lesson.