Anticipation is part of the joy
A kazillion years ago, when I was a youngster, I wasn’t very good at waiting for Christmass. It seemed to take forever to get here and then it was swiftly gone.
The ache and yearning leading up to this great feast was unbearable. I just wished that it was already here.
It was the same with birthdays and Easter. As children, we didn’t have much practice in doing this waiting business.
But something happens as you get older. You get lots more practice at waiting. Waiting to marry, waiting to get into the doctor, waiting for your favourite TV program.
And in the discipline of learning how to wait, we gradually realise that the sense of anticipation is part of the whole deal. Waiting does not have to be a terrible grind but can actually be rather exhilarating and gleeful.
At some point, the arrival of the Christmass decorations, the tree and the carols did not make the wait more tedious, but actually gave an edge of excitement as the tension gradually rose and I started counting down the 'sleeps'.
I don’t exactly know when waiting stopped being a drag and became a thrill, but now I look forward to Advent. (the four-week season of preparation for Christmass) I understand that the waiting, the preparation and the anticipation are part of the whole celebration. The lead up is not just something to be endured. It does not have to be stultifying and tedious. Expectation can actually be a delicious time that can elate and charm us.
It’s all a bit like the time you spend waiting at the airport for a flight. Does the time in the departure lounge grind you down or does it wind you up with anticipation for what is to come? The choice is yours!