By Kingsli Kraft
Patience is, unfortunately, still a virtue.
Sometimes cliches are cliches for a reason. The time between first light and when the sun actually breaks the horizon can take longer than you think. Sometimes it will seem like it’s not going to be a very impressive display, and you might leave early, disappointed, only to see one of the most beautiful sunrises of the year in your rearview mirror. Had you practiced a little extra patience, you could have witnessed it for yourself. Life can be like that, too. We get caught up in the hustle and bustle of things. We get caught up comparing ourselves to others, and we get impatient. Sometimes we make hasty decisions, and then when we look back, we see things a little clearer and realize that maybe we should have done something differently. Be patient in life when you can; it might seem cloudy and not worth your time at first, but if you just wait a second, those sad gray clouds could be painted in the most magnificent shades of orange, pink, and gold.
When things don’t go according to plan, keep an eye out for other opportunities and beauty all around you.
Blair Street Pier at Sunrise
Sometimes the clouds do have other plans, and the sunrise is a little lackluster. This happened to me recently. There was so much potential for a gorgeous sunrise. Then the clouds, steady and slow-moving moving rolled into the way just at peak sunrise on the horizon. I was frustrated. But then I turned, and a bald eagle was swooping right past me, maybe fifteen feet away and ten feet above me, wings outstretched and catching the few beams of light breaking through the clouds. It took my breath away and was totally unexpected. Sometimes in life, you show up with big plans and expectations for how things are going to go. Then the universe has other plans and brings you a different, equally beautiful opportunity. But you have to keep an eye out for those, too. Imagine if I’d just kept staring at the clouds, grumbling about their disruption of my plan! I would have totally missed the majestic eagle and the wildlife around me.
Even if you can’t see it yet, good things are always on the way.
Sometimes you go to see the sunrise and there’s complete cloud cover, or a storm, or it’s raining. That doesn’t mean the sun isn’t still rising there in the background. In life when it feels like everything is really dark and there’s no light that you can see and it all feels hopeless—trust that the metaphorical sun is rising there behind the clouds. Just because you can’t see it yet, doesn’t mean it isnt there. Have faith and remember that even when you can’t see the sun, her light is still there filtering through the clouds. Blue skies and sunshine will be back again another day.
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