The Chinese Philosopher Lao-tzu said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  Well, that’s just great.  But, what if I’m just about done with the ridiculous treadmill of a journey I’ve been on and would like to stop now?  I’m tired.  Where’s the wise philosopher who will tell me exactly how many steps are left before I can finally catch my breath and rest? 

Some unknown wiseacre/smart alec/philosopher (it’s often a minor difference, no?) said that “Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But, to keep going when the going is hard and slow — that is patience.”

For the most part, I am pretty patient, but when you think about how I was raised it’s rather surprising, really.  The elders fed me pudding in a cup, instant breakfast and Tang, for crying out loud.  Then they went and invented the microwave!  They are, after all, the folks who set the standards of impatience and there wasn’t much in life I was really expected to wait for.  Is it any wonder I grew up chomping at the (just add water) bit?

Those same elders also tried to feed me Space Food Sticks.  But, I was discerning enough to know that quality is worth waiting for (although the peanut butter energy snack “in rod form” was almost palatable.  When starving.  In orbit, maybe).

When it comes to things of substance, I have found I actually DO have the intestinal fortitude necessary to patiently wait, even if the going is difficult and seems to take forever.

Take really good French Onion Soup.  That takes time and effort. From the act of carmelizing the onions, to slowly adding the flour to thicken the broth, to broiling the final product with the cheese of your choice (some like Gruyere, some like Swiss…) – not to mention having to wait for it to cool sufficiently, so you don’t parboil your tastebuds.

I’ve heard tale told that Rome, having not being made in haste, was totally worth waiting for.

It stands to reason then, that a solid relationship, one built on trust and understanding does, too. In fact, I honestly believe that 1,001 nights is an excellent standard to determine if a couple will make it for “better or worse” – It’s not that long that you should be so impatient.  Just shy of three years, you do get to know someone pretty stinkin’ well.  Less than that, and methinks you may run the risk of mistaking candied apples for rubies.

Microwaveable soup not withstanding, there are also some incredibly unpleasant things that take time and we must be patient.  Truly, truly patient.

In my own journey of a thousand miles, I went from walking on eggshells, then fire, and ultimately broken glass, with my ex-husband in an attempt to approach a finishing line that keeps moving, thanks to attorneys, escrow companies and businesses that have continually set up pointless roadblocks at every turn.  There have been many days when I’ve wanted to scream, but I know better.  The road is difficult, true.  But, from scorched earth, no matter how blackened and broken it may be, comes new plant growth.  Stephen J. Pyne, a professor in the Biology and Society Program at Arizona State University says, “In the end, fire is more than an ecological process or an environmental problem. It is a relationship. We have made each other what we are in the world today.”

My difficult journey should be ending soon (O__o) and I have to continue to be patient, even the though the “going has been hard and slow” as there may be only a few remaining steps left.  I do have to keep reminding myself to be patient, because anything worth having is worth (patiently) waiting for.  Especially, my next journey of a thousand miles – some of which, I fully intend to fly.

“Faith is not simply a patience that passively suffers until the storm is past.  Rather, it is a spirit that bars things – with resignations, yes, but above all, with blazing, serene hope.” – Corazon Aquino

Really Good French Onion Soup

http://cooklikeyourgrandmother.com/2009/01/how-to-make-french-onion-soup/