“Try to enjoy this time,” my obstetrician, Dr. Arvin said. Her curly brown hair bounced against her cheeks and her eyes sparkled with mirth. Awaiting the birth of my first, and only child, I was almost two weeks overdue. Mirrored in her glasses, I saw my cream-colored belly, as big as a house.
The exam room was warm. The doctor had just told me there was no sign of cervical dilation. Tears swam in my eyes. I resisted the urge to smack her. A life-sized poster, a cross-section of the pregnant woman’s anatomy hung on the wall. A cotton ball had rolled next to the faucet on the counter. “In just a couple of days you’ll be wishing you had a few moments to yourself,” she said.
Truer words…
On my way home, a severe backache had me squirming in the seat of my car. It would be hours before I realized I was in labor and another 22 hours before I held a beautiful daughter in my arms. Weeks later, the wisdom in Dr. Arvin’s words would be very apparent!
It didn’t occur to me 38 years ago to appreciate the gifts to be found in expectant, faith-filled waiting. I still haven’t quite learned to savor a hopeful pause, but life is a patient teacher!
Whether our vantage point is collective, personal, metaphysical, or physical, while we wait in darkness for the light to grow brighter, we have so many options. Wait in fear. Wait in petulance. Wait in hope. Wait in faith. Wait in silence. Wait within.
Waiting is hellacious or holy. We choose.
© Linda Sandel Pettit, Ed.D., 2022
Photo by Xu Haiwei courtesy of Unsplash.com
#lindasandelpettit #advent #adventreflections #hope #love #beauty #grief #forgiveness #Christmaswisdom #spirituality
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Linda Sandel Pettit, Ed.D. inspires intuitive-creative women healers to use their healing modalities, speaking voices, and written words to unfold and share the wisdom of the Sacred Feminine.
Linda offers sanctuaries, intimate small-group programs, to women healers who want to bring spirituality into their work, and to women writers who are ready to share, get feedback, revise, and publish.
Through her Apprentice’s Way individual all-in-one mentorship program, Linda encourages her clients’ spiritual evolution, psychological health, effective writing, messaging, marketing, and content creation.
Visit www.lindasandelpettit.com to learn more about her programs and array of masterclasses and courses.
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