Waiting Well

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“If you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. Follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.” – Joseph Campbell

Waiting well. I admit that the title of this post is aspirational. But I’ve been working on it and have to say that I’ve made progress in the last few years.

Here’s the latest thing I’ve been waiting for. I’m buying a car from my neighbors who are moving back to England.  I need a car that has a third row of seats for when I carpool. And I’m such a terrible negotiator that if I went into car dealership to buy one, I’d probably introduce myself by saying, “how can I pay you more?”  Suffice it to say, buying my neighbors car is a great option for me.

But the timeline is pretty variable. I planted the seed and they liked the idea. Then I’ve had to let it ride as they worked out all their more important tasks: securing a new house in England, shipping all their stuff, moving the kids and getting them settled in their new schools, and selling their house here in Seattle.

Here’s what’s helped me getting better at waiting: I’ve realized I’m not in charge. And I think that no matter your spiritual beliefs, we can all agree Wynne Leon isn’t running the show.

I’ve come to see that intent is like throwing an inner tube into the stream of life and then riding it wherever it goes.

My metaphorical inner tube snagged on a tree last week when my car died with about a week to go before I can buy the new one. I’d loaded my kids and the dog into the car on a Saturday morning to go on an adventure and it wouldn’t start. Of all the places and times to not start, in the garage on a Saturday morning isn’t a bad one.

So I rented a car. When I got to the agency, they said they I had a choice between a Jeep and a VW. We choose the VW — and it was even the same model we are buying. Funny how this stream of life flows.

Soon we’ll close on buying our friend’s car and be on to waiting for the next thing or milestone. It seems that the trick is enjoying the float down the river.

(featured photo from Pexels)

You can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynneleon/ and Instagram @wynneleon

I host the How to Share podcast, a podcast about how to share anything – to the appropriate audience, with the right permissions, at the most opportune time.

I also co-host the Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast, an author, creator and storytelling podcast with the amazing Vicki Atkinson.

86 thoughts on “Waiting Well”

  2. Paddling counter-current vs.gong with the flow in the river of life often seems best.

    . Like you Wynne, realizing Fred’s actually “not in charge” knowing God is and ultimately has my best route already planned out to my destination, has always proved true.

    However, after 8+ decades, I still often find myself grabbling the paddle and battling rapids rather than trusting to “Let go and let God” navigate me to calmer waters.

    Congrats on your ‘coincidental’ life’s tributary current car 😊

    Keep Looking Up ^ … His Best is Yet to Come!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I love this comment because I do the same thing with the paddle! I seem to “get” to learn this same thing over and over again even when I “think” my faith is strong. Thanks, dear Fred!

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  3. I love a generous dollop of “Wynne Wisdom” to kick off my week:
    “I’ve come to see that intent is like throwing an inner tube into the stream of life and then riding it wherever it goes.”
    So good! 🥰

    Liked by 2 people

  5. While the stream is often nearby, cars are something you can have some control over. The price isn’t right unless the sales manager is involved in the sale. The price will also go down if the salesman sees your back. The end of the model year is a good time to buy.

    In general, no is key word in negotiations. Silence also portrays the potential willingness to look elsewhere.

    Don’t get enthusiastic about the car and don’t try to please the salesman despite his or her kindness until after you make the purchase. It is not a congeniality contest at the buyer’s end.

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    1. I should have added that you should go to the Edmunds website to find out what a good price is on a car. The sticker price is irrelevant.

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      1. Not at all. It comes from more than a little experience in this department. You can do it, Wynne. Consider it a kind of role playing game.

        Liked by 1 person

  6. I love it! And I would negotiate much like you said you would. I’m so glad this all worked out for you. I know you take off for many places and not having a car–augh! I also get the not being in control part. I feel that so often, especially when I have my plans made.

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  8. Anything that has to do with buying a vehicle is fraught with peril. I am not the most patient when it comes to what you’re dealing with. However you are right, you’ve just got to get on your inner tube and let it flow along.

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  12. So true that we aren’t in charge. I’ve learned that lesson very well, lately. As for the third row in your new car, it brings back so many memories. For years, we had an SUV with the “way back” as we called it. Such memories of driving to swim meets with a carload of kids, all of us singing at the top of our lungs.

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      1. Those were such amazing memories. You’ll have so many, too. I finally got rid of the car, after driving my daughter’s baby Waffles (pug) for baby shots. I had a flat tire, the Triple A guys came, didn’t tighten the lug nuts and the tire fell off while I was driving — flying across the road into someone’s yard barely missing two cars and breaking the windows of the house. I was stuck at a weird angle on the road. That was it for me. I told my husband I couldn’t drive it anymore. The kids were in college and we didn’t need such a giant car. It was a Toyota Sequoia.

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  14. I love the universe’s timing of things. If you had any doubts about buying, having your car die turned a want into a need pretty quickly. Glad you’ll be taking over your neighbor’s car. VW is a reliable brand.

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      1. Funny how it all works out, you got the physical and the emotional part taken care of!

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  15. Such a cool coincidence that you ended up renting a VW that happened to be the same model too. Definitely a sign that it’s the car for you. Hopefully, you’ll be able to purchase your neighbours car soon enough.

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  16. I’ll admit, I’m terrible at waiting. Once we decided to move to South Dakota, we had to hold off until my daughter graduated from high school. Those nine months were torture.

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  21. I’m pretty anal when it comes to buying a car. After the first experience when I never felt in charge, I decided to never have that experience again. I keep my cars forever, so It’s not like I’ve done this a lot. But now I do way more research than the average person because I hate to get taken. It’s a song and dance routine with bad actors. The car buying business could be simplified so much more if they treated it like clothes. Slap a price on it. If it doesn’t sell after a certain period, mark it down. Instead, the whole negotiating thing gets complicated. I walk in and tell them what I’m willing to pay after doing a ton of research. If they don’t take the deal, I walk away. Sometimes they call back later and have a change of heart. The rational part of me knows I’m saving money but probably not enough to justify my time. 🤣

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    1. Ah, that’s a good approach, Pete! I keep my cars a long time — you are so right, then we don’t get much experience. Oh well, here’s to the next good one! Thanks, my friend!

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  22. Waiting and patience are such important but hard skills to master. You’re wise as always to recognize that more often than not, we are not in control, and to let the current take us down the river at its flow.

    Getting a car second hand is a smart and money saving idea and I can totally get the urgency and impatience of the wait. Congrats on closing the deal soon and hope you have many fun adventures ahead with your new family ride!

    Liked by 1 person

  24. This part of your quote really speaks to me, “Follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.”

    Liked by 1 person

  25. that ebb and flow of life’s river, just does what it wants and we have to meander right down it’s path, we really have no choice, do we? great example of this in your post today. somehow we eventually end up on the bank on the other side no matter what we do or don’t do.

    cooper appears to have adopted the go with the flow approach and maybe we can try to picture him as our Yoda when we get weak as humans and try to take control of things. )

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    1. Oh, I absolutely love, “somehow we eventually end up on the bank on the other side no matter what we do or don’t do.” YES!! Here’s to being like Cooper! Thanks, Beth!

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  27. How right you are. It’s easy to become frustrated with the wait. But we are so much better off when we experience those in-between times patiently. Hope all goes well!

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  30. I love the title and what’s behind “Waiting Well.” There is so much goodness in it. My mind immediately went to “Reading Well,” and since I recently read some philosophy books, “Dying Well” also came to mind. I’m still catching up more, but I’m planning to listen to your “How to Share” podcast in the next day or so.

    Liked by 1 person

  32. What a fantastic story about waiting Wynne. I often say, we can choose the goal, but we can’t choose the timing.
    The serendipity of being able to test the same model via the car rental is also such a beautiful thing.
    Enjoy your new drive! 💕

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