This week, the topic of "patience" has come up in my life multiple times. Coincidence? I think not. With almost one month left until our wedding, finding patience was a daily struggle (until now).
It all started the moment I send out invitations. Yes, this has been going on for a while.
A few months ago, I eagerly sent out our wedding invitations to all of our loved ones. I couldn't wait until they told us they could make it to the most important day of our lives. We got back a few RSVP's right away from our closest friends who told us they wouldn't miss it for the world.
But then weeks and months went by and we hadn't heard from a lot of our invited guests. And now two weeks until the RSVP's are due, we have yet to hear from a decent amount of people.
Patience is a virtue. This I know. And I also know that I, among many other people, struggle with finding patience. This is why it is an art and it must be practiced.
If you follow my Instagram (@sandsoulandspirits) then you know I have posted several quotes from Joel S. Goldsmith. He is the author of a book I have been reading called The Art of Meditation. I have found so many insightful thoughts within its pages that I felt the need to share, hoping someone could benefit from it like me. Topics range from patience, to being in the present, to finding peace within yourself.
On a personal note, I had been reading this book quite slowly due to wedding planning and starting a new job. I was feeling frustrated about my lack of advancement because I am generally a very fast reader. Let me tell you, I am SO GLAD, that I did not read the book as quickly as I had wanted to.
Why?
I will share with you a tidbit of the book below. This segment helped me through the stresses of life and wedding planning. If I had read these pages months ago, it would have never resonated with me and I would not have stopped to reflect on the words and grow from them.
And this blog post wouldn't exist.
End of personal note...on to the quote.
"Most of us are unwilling to wait until the moment in which a decision is necessary; we insist on knowing the answer in advance, the day before, the week before, or the month before. We want to know what is around the corner; we want to know today what is going to happen next week or next month, and even what decision should be made for next year, instead of waiting until the actual moment when the decision is required..."
It had gotten to the point where I was asking guests if they could make it before the RSVP's were due. I just had to know! Deep inside, I knew that I feared having an empty wedding after all the time and effort I was putting into planning.
"We have acquired the habit of impatience and the result is that instead of waiting for God's decision to be made manifest, we let fear creep in and then, afraid of the possibly unfortunate effects of indecision, rush in and act on the basis of our own best human judgement"
Whether you are spiritual or not, you may have heard of the phenomenon "everything happens for a reason". For me, if I have 50, 80, or +100 wedding guests, it doesn't stop the fact that I am marrying my best friend and celebrating the union of our families. Finding out whether or not someone can be in attendance to our wedding doesn't make us any less married. With impatience comes the fear of the unknown which in turn leads us to make choice which we may possible regret in the future. Rushing into something can have it's downfalls and consequences.
We get so caught up in this mindset of "I" that we forget to see the bigger picture. In the end, what is meant to happen will happen. Whatever is going on in your life right now can wait for when the moment comes, even if you don't think it can wait.
The way I see it is:
- I can worry about it, have sleepless nights, stress, and do everything in my power to find a solution now
- Or be mindful and at peace
Either way, the end event/goal/objective will be exactly the same because what is meant to be, will be. The difference between the options above is that only one will cause you to have a mental breakdown. Trust me, I've been there and I choose peace.
I highly recommend taking the time to read Goldsmith's book. I have learned a lot about myself, both spiritually and mentally. I bought my book in a used book store, you never know where you will find hidden treasures! If you have liked what I have quoted from him in this post and in the past months, I have included a link below to the book on amazon (in case your local used book store doesn't have it in stock).
Did these quotes ease your mind on something? Do you think you'll read Goldsmith's book? How do you practice patience during those hard times? Leave a comment below for myself and other readers to reflect on!
