This sounds funny doesn’t it? You wonder how you can possibly be forced into patience. I would have wondered that too before 6 March 2015 when I had my surgery. Since then, however, I have been forced to wait for things that before I would have pushed for and tried to rush. Like many of us, I always wanted things “my way”.

Since my surgery I have learned that you can’t always have things your way. This goes along with all that we’ve been discussing about acceptance vs resistance. Had I not accepted this fact, I would be back in the same situation I was before the surgery and would probably need more of the same. I am NOT going there if I can do anything to help it.

It’s interesting, though, that this “forced” or “imposed” patience has extended to other aspects of my life. For instance, my running. I tried to push back into it and I think it was too soon but then I ended up with the heel problem which forced me to stay off that foot for another week. Of course, I was panicking about a) not being able to get ready in time for my big event in July followed by the concern about b) whether this was a sign I was never going to be able to run again. My knees were hurting even before my ankle and I had absolutely no endurance. Nothing was going right. But then I was forced into abstaining again.

When my ankle felt better enough for me to be able to run, things were a whole lot better. But you know what? This time I decided to just take it easy and do what I could and try to enjoy the running. After all, why do it if you don’t enjoy it. A good friend of mine reminded me of that when I had an unmotivated period a year ago. She told me to just go out and have fun. So that’s what I tried to do this time and decided that whatever happens about July happens. It’s sure not the end of the world in any way, shape or form. It worked.

I’ve also applied this same concept in almost every other part of my life including work which might possibly be the hardest. As such, I have to tell you that having this surgery and having to learn to deal with the complications has been the most valuable thing that has happened to me in such a long time.

Is there something that the Universe is trying to force you to be patient about? If so, why not listen?

Terrie

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