The Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-04-01, Page 21Goderich Signal -Star, WetlresOaY, April 1,2009- Page A21
Patience means truly living in the moment
Patience pays. Patience is a virtue.
Patience is its own reward. We know all of
the sayings. But what is patience really?
I need to know because I am currently
suffering from intermittent bouts of impa-
tience.
For the last eight years, I have been
researching and writing a book. About a
year ago, I found a publisher. Over the last
year, I have wrestled with the process of
having an editor give me "constructive criti-
cism" of my work. We have deleted things,
added things, changed focus, softened my
"edge", etc. There were many times during
the process that I wondered if there would
be any "me" left in it.
And about a week ago, I was able to sit
down at` my computer and view the entire
completed manuscript just before it was sent
on to the proof-readers.
As J read through it, I got more and more
excited. By the time I got to the end of it, I
was nearly in tears—I was truly "verk-
lempt". I couldn't believe that it had actu-
ally happened. After all of these years, the
book had actually taken form—and I was
over -the -top thrilled with how it had turned
out! I couldn't have been happier. It was
like witnessing the birth of something whose
term seemed like it was never going to end.
But now I had to wait. It had to go
through the proof-readers and fact -checkers.
It had to go to layout. It had to get to the
printers. What were we talking here–
Maybe four weeks? Six? I had waited years
for this moment. But now that I could
nearly taste it, I was driving myself crazy
with impatience.
So what does my sage husband say as
Poverty training
looks at solutions
in Huron County
Agencies across Huron County who work
with people living in poverty are gathering
in April to learn how to better to help fami-
lies move out of poverty.
The Huron County Health Unit and Hu-
ron County Social Services have organized
the training, called Bridges out of Poverty.
The two day workshop provides creative
and practical solutions for community mem-
bers and agencies concerned about poverty
issues. It will be held at the Huron County
Health Unit on April 2 and 3.
Trainer Janice Dunbar says there is a need
for this training in Huron County because
poverty exists here. "We need to work to-
gether as a community to find the best ways
to create opportunities for families to move
out of generational poverty. An important
part of these two days is that it provides a
better understanding of the challenges and
strengths of people struggling with low in-
comes."
Service providers and business and agen-
cies whose daily work connects them with
the lives of people in poverty are encour-
aged to participate. The cost is $35 for both
days and lunch and training resources are
included. For more information contact An-
nie Books at the Huron County Health Unit
at 519-482-3416 ext. 2260
smoke starts curling from my
ears? "Oh, you just have to be
patient. The book will be here
sooner than you know it."
Let's just say that he's lucky
that I am a pretty calm person.
Let's just say that he's lucky that I
am philosophically -driven as
opposed to anger -driven. Let's
just say that he is all-round lucky.
Because my response to him was,
"Well, what the * * * * is patience
anyway?"
He looked at me and said, "I guess it's just
living in the moment."
Well, that stopped me dead. Living in the
moment. Hmm...
It's funny how we do that. Something is
coming – a wedding, Christmas, first day of
a new job, the birth of a baby – and as soon
as we start really looking forward to it, we
'stop living in the moment. Our day-to-day
lives just disappear. Today isn't
important because that future
date is more important. In our
anticipation of the excitement of
that future date, we miss every-
thing that goes on in the mean-
time.
And then the day comes.
Maybe it goes off without a
hitch. Or maybe there are hitch-
es all-round. Regardless, once
the event is over, we all sit
around in some kind of void. We
had left our lives behind us in some way.
For a while, we forget what we are supposed
to do with ourselves. What did we do before
we were excited about this?
Eventually, after a few days, we find
ourselves back in the groove. We start
noticing the cat again. We realize that our
daughter's hair is a different colour. We
find time to read the paper again. Things
return to a kind of normal.
The reality is that my book will be out
soon. But in the meantime, I still get to hang
out with my husband and kids – which I
love. I still get to teach my yoga classes –
which I love. I still get to write this column
– which I love. I still have to do the laundry
and the dishes and cook - which I don't love.
But alas ... life is life.
When .it dawns on me that a billion great
things are still going to happen between now
and that inevitable event, it allows me to
slow down and look around me. I am able
to enjoy the everyday things again. I am
able to relax and truly live in the moment.
Am I still looking forward to holding one
of those books in my hot little hands? Oh
yeah! But with a little patience, I'll be able
to enjoy each day up until then too.
For more information about Katrina,
please visit her website: www.katrina-
bos. ca.
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