Patience and Faith

It's wonderful to feel useful. How great it is to be productive and have that productivity be appreciated. Being useful serves others, of course, but it also serves oneself. Positive feelings flow from a knowledge of contributions made.

In the movie Return to Me, Carroll O'Connor is asked if he wants help as he finishes up a night's work. He replies, '. . . not at all. I'm blessed with work.' One of my college professors lectured us on all the benefits of work to the mind and heart. She argued against the prevailing view in our culture that work is drudgery or a necessary evil. She expanded on all the ways that work, whether paid or unpaid, is necessary to fulfill ourselves as individuals.

Of course, recently many people unfortunately have faced the daunting prospect of being without work with dire financial consequences. However, beyond financial fallout, not having valued work tends to lower our estimation of ourselves as valued people. This can be a particularly difficult spot to be in when it is the result of pain that prevents us from leading the active lives we wish to lead. Where is our value then? What's more, will we return to life as it was? Or, will we experience a life less engaged than we wish? If so, will we be able to find a way to engage differently?

Finding the value in drastically different circumstances is a challenge. More than anything it requires patience. This may entail patience in waiting for diagnoses or the results of hard work in physical therapy to manifest. It may involve patience in learning new skills or patience in curtailing some activities. Most important is patience with ourselves as we learn who we are in this new setting and what it holds for us.

Stories abound of people forced into a corner who emerged far better than they ever would have been had they not faced difficulties. It can be hard to hold on to the inspiration of those stories if you find yourself in the midst of similar circumstances. The best antidote is faith that you will emerge. Patience while you are there and belief that you are merely traveling through, not stuck in, your circumstances will serve you well. Breathe deeply and enjoy the scenery as you travel to your next destination.