Patience, Procrastination, and Perspective

So I was thinking, we're taught patience is the ability to wait virtuously for something we prefer to have now and procrastination is the avoidance of something we should do now.

I’m convinced that (sometimes) procrastination is simply misidentified, intuitively guided patience, inspiring us to wait for something we have no idea is coming.

In the summer of 2019, an unexpected life detour caused my typical daily tasks to be put on pause as I narrowed my focus to a “basic needs” to-do list. One of my hobbies that didn’t make the list was caring for my flowers. Sigh. Every time I walked under my hanging baskets I felt a twinge of guilt for letting my brightly colored, aromatic petunias dry up in our stifling hot weather.

I kept thinking, “I need to take just 5 minutes and water those poor plants.” But I didn’t. I procrastinated until they were a withered bunch of crunchy stems. Then I thought, “I need to find 2 minutes and take those baskets down and dump them - they’re such an eyesore.” But I didn’t.

I procrastinated until I saw something I had no idea was coming.

Normally I view the hanging baskets from below. But this morning I looked out my elevated kitchen window and was given a different perspective. A wider view. A higher view. I was delighted and surprised to see a mama bird feeding her two babies in my neglected planters! I watched and noticed the edge of the basket made a perfect roost for her to land and lean in on, the nest was snuggled up to the far side with plenty of room for the two little fledglings to grow, their temporary home was shaded nicely from the hot sun while the breeze gently rocked them, and the height and location served as protection.

I realized if I hadn’t been preoccupied with my unexpected life event and distracted into procrastination then that basket would never have been used as a nest, or even worse I would have unknowingly drowned the little birds or thrown them in the garbage.

In the past I've been a “do it now and check it off my list” kind of gal and it gave me a sense of accomplishment. But I’m reminded over and over again since that turn of events in 2019 that life offers a broader perspective beyond our lists, chores, duties, and expectations. If I make space for it, life in its divine timing and synchronicity will use a messy, unintended circumstance to reveal unexpected magic.