It seemed like I waited forever. That's the thing about waiting. It feels like that. Like forever.
I learnt a thing or two while I was doing it though:
1. Waiting is stressful
2. Waiting is boring
3. Waiting teaches patience
4. Waiting is best done indoors:
in a waiting room
womb
tomb
This waiting was done in three places.
I have the best friend in the world - who let me wait part of the time in a large flat in her garden. I was alone most of the time. I made new friends:
the bed
the fluffy red blanket
some books
a couple of grey squirrels
decaff - cappuccinos
a cosy trendy deli
some horses wearing blankets in a green field
some leafless oaks
a new meditating me
my interior room
Later I moved on - not alone anymore, to a cottage in a grassy field in the country outside Greyton. I had my family with me by now, but new friends were waiting, nevertheless:
a light lit swing bridge at the bottom of a green
slope.
a large lazy river under it.
a wood fire
other beds
a sunny stoep
There were naturally more cappuccinos and lots of mist. There was a misty road out of which overall clad men emerged on bicycles, their startled eyes glowing in our headlights.
When you are waiting you consciously pass time. You think a lot. You worry. You make Plan A Plan B Plan C...then you stop. And wait.
Our third stop was a suburb house in the city. We carried in bags, wetsuits, books, computers,surfboards and too many suitcases. We planned to stay a while. We unpacked. We were still waiting but we settled in. We stocked the fridge. We introduced our little dog. We made new friends:
Two sweet black dogs
some books
seriously sharp knives
non-stick pans
television
the best bed
And then the waiting stopped. Just like that.