"So, do live and be happy, children dear to my heart, and never forget that, until the day when God deigns to unveil the future to mankind, all human wisdom is contained in these two words: 'wait' and 'hope'!"
At the end of The Count of Monte Cristo, this line ends a letter written by the Count to a young couple. The line has stayed with me.
Is it true? Is wisdom found in waiting and hoping? In this long book (have I mentioned how long it is?) I would've never imagined this to be the ending thought. Filled with action, evil, revenge, regret, diabolical planning, manuvering, greed, betrayal and constant striving on everyone's part - some for good some for evil - well, wait and hope seem small and weak. And yet . . .
It kind of reminds me of Solomon saying in Ecclesiastes that after everything he'd seen and done and thought of - nothing is new under the sun and we should fear & respect God, keep his commandments and trust him for justice.
So how am I at waiting and hoping? Do I practice them or just endure them? Am I better at waiting now because I've learned to lean into waiting and learn from the time? Or am I better only because I'm older and had to do it more? Does hope fill me with peace or worry? When I hope for something - can I hope AND trust or do I hope AND fret?
And, another thing - I've never heard this listed as a quote of any importance. Wonder why that is? Is it because discovering the answer to anything revolves around waiting and hoping doesn't please us? Doesn't answer our human need to do something, anything?
Do I want someone at my funeral to say, "Kay was amazing at waiting."? Would anyone ever say, "That person changed my life because he showed me how to truly wait."?
Isn't it funny that something we do every day is something we don't seem to have much peace with or a desire to do it better? hmmm - lots to think about today.
3 comments:
Fantastic post.
Wait and Hope. . . we have a lot of both in the writing industry, don't we? LOL
I don't mind waiting so much. It gets difficult sometimes, but then I sit back and remember who's driving my car...so I'll get there when HE decides I'm ready.
Or, he'll turn and take a different road.
Thanks for this post. Have a great day.
I think the thing we tend to forget is that while we're waiting and hoping, we should also be working on other things. It makes it easier and also takes us forward. Even if the answer to what we're waiting and hoping for is 'no', we're still moving ahead on something else...and this time, the answer may be 'yes'.
Great thoughts, ladies. Thanks so much for giving me even more to think about!
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