Patience
Updated: Jul 16

I remember when I was a toddler my mother, my sister and I planted seeds from several packets we got from the store. Every day I went out to the garden to see if the carrot seeds I planted were 'ready'. It wasn't long before sprouts began to show above the ground.
It seemed like I waited a long time but my mother told me to wait. Of course, I didn't. I pulled on the plant and freed it from the soil. There was a carrot but it was obvious it wasn't 'ready'. I tried to fix my impatience by putting it back in the soil to grow some more. It didn't.
I'd love to say I learned a lesson that day. I kinda did because I let the other carrots grow to maturity but as far as applying that lesson to my life, Nope.
What I have learned over the years is that there are times to row the boat and there are times to pull in the oars and wait. Knowledge and experience have allowed me to know the difference most times but I still ask for answers that stubbornly don't come to me in the timetable I would like. Like immediately.
Another lesson (I sometimes don't like lessons at all) I learned is that the Universe will continue to give me lessons until I get it. If I push, and push, and push only to realize disappointment and then push some more, the Universe puts up a wall and says 'no further, time to change direction'.
I still try rowing the boat first but if rowing isn't getting me anywhere maybe I'm trying to row against the flow and I should just stop. Maybe, just maybe, I was meant to go in the opposite direction or I just need to wait for what I need to catch up to me.