As long as it takes

April 13, 2017


Not too long ago I posted something that said  Eventually you’ll end up where you need to be, with whom you’re meant to be with and doing what you should be doing.

One of my friends weighed in with “But how long does it take!?”  And my response was simple:

“It takes as long as it takes.”

Thing is, we live in a world that seeks instant gratification. But, the other thing is, life doesn’t work that way.

I do believe that our journeys are individual, specific to us and the lessons we’re here to learn in this life.

The journey we take can be long or short, it can be straight or curvy, easy or full of obstacles. And that journey will take as long as it takes.

There’s no sense comparing ourselves to others because their journey is specific to them and what they have to learn. Maybe it looks like they’ve had it easy. But maybe we don’t know anything about how it’s been for them.

My best advice to those who are impatient to get through the journey is to remind them that it will end soon enough. That every curve and obstacle and detour is meant to be a lesson. That if they keep their eyes on the road and pay attention to what comes up, they’re doing what they are supposed to be doing.

And they’ll end up in just the right place for them.

Of that I’m certain.

 

27 comments on “As long as it takes
  1. AJ Sefton says:

    Nice philosophy. I sometimes worry that I may waste my life waiting for things to happen. I know that I have to take control and me the captain of me!

  2. I totally agree! I wish my husband would realize this, but he’s a doubting Thomas! I prayed that he would get his full time back, PLUS over time and it happened last Summer! I prayed for that for 7 yrs! I never gave up on it. Now I’m praying we can finally buy a new car!

  3. Diane says:

    I SO agree on this, Carol! Carry on!

  4. Robin rue says:

    I completely agree. Some things you just can’t put a time limit on – they take as long as they take.

  5. Amber Myers says:

    True! I always try to remind myself that lessons are important. I can be so impatient at times.

  6. Ruth Curran says:

    I love this Carol. Part II of your beautiful thought (the one that caught me when I read it the first time) is this: “with whom you are meant to be with”. A wise man we both know well said to me once as I was lamenting over leaving someone behind, “If they were meant to be with you, they will catch up.” So who we see and feel when we look around now may change but always in the direction of meant to be.

  7. I believe we can create our own reality and it’s worked for me many times. Though, sometimes life plays tricks on you and then you wonder how you got to where you are now.

  8. The pessimist in me gets really bummed out thinking that people without happy endings are where they’re supposed to be. I think you’re right, most of the time life does lead us in the right direction, but it’s really really important not to let the obstacles stop us!

  9. I think it is a lovely sentiment, but I don’t think people always end up where they need to be.I don’t think people needed to be in Syria when the chemical attack went off for instance. I believe that most people don’t get where they need to be let alone where they want to be. I’m not cynical, but I base it on empirical evidence.

  10. I agree with you! Everyone is different and can find lot of accidents during a journey, but this doesn’t mean to not reach the goal!

  11. I love this post! It’s so true, too – everything in life is a lesson, and pushing through too fast just means we don’t learn what we’re meant to learn. It’s so important to enjoy the journey though.

  12. Evelyn Reese says:

    We are so wired to things right now…patience is a virtue so just allow it takes as long as it takes.

  13. I love this!! Sometimes (most times) I want to rush the end result. I have to remind myself to let it happen and enjoy the journey. Thanks for the reminder.

  14. Holly says:

    Uggh. I truly hope so! I always in fear that I have found a way to mess up getting to where I’m supposed to be. So I totally need the encouragement! Thank you! 🙂

  15. Elizabeth O. says:

    This is such a lovely reminder for all of us. Eventually things fall into place and that’s how it usually works. It’s the journey that allows us to get ready for that situation to be honest.

  16. In that sense, patience is a virtue. And if is something is meant to be, it will happen for you. 🙂

  17. Your right not everything has a time limit and we have to learn that it will not give us instant gratification. Good things come to those who wait x

  18. R U S S says:

    This is beautiful. I share your philosophy, Carol. For an impatient person ( me ), oddly, I believe in enjoying the journey no matter how long it takes. I know people who think otherwise, but for me, it’s all about perspective. I was never a believer of instant everything. What comes easy, leaves easy.

  19. Christina says:

    Oh my goodness, how true this is and I’m still waiting! lol

  20. Sumudu says:

    Every time I feel I need to rush or get impatient waiting, I remind myself that it will happen in divine time. And it normally does If it doesn’t it was not meant to be.

  21. We all have no idea what tomorrow brings. All we can do every day is point ourselves in the direction of where we want to be and focusing on getting there.

  22. This is my favorite line in this post: “There’s no sense comparing ourselves to others because their journey is specific to them and what they have to learn.”This is something I have told myself on several occasions. I also tell this to every author I work with. 🙂

  23. Hannah Marie says:

    I agree that it takes as long as it takes. We can achieve it if we persevere and not give up.

  24. Ruth I. says:

    Waiting is not easy, there will be time that you would want to give up and try another or continue and finish strong. We need to enjoy the jorney, the process that we need to take before achieving our goal.

  25. Patience is such a difficult lesson to learn. And it’s in short supply out there mostly. We get things so fast now that we don’t want to wait for anything. We think that we should get what we want when we want it or it’s not worth it. But the truth is, most of the best things in life are the things you have to wait for. The best things are worth waiting for.

  26. Taty Pradilla says:

    This is absolutely true.It is hard to wait and be patient, but it is worth it in the long run.

  27. Congratulations Carol,
    Your post won Inspire Me Monday. You’ll be featured on my site tomorrow.
    Janice

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