Types of Patience

Just like I believe everyone is creative I think most people are patient, just in different ways. I first realized this when I was middle school and I would do sewing projects, which often involved unpicking. My sister didn't have patience for such things (which is funny because she now does way more sewing than I do). My mom (I think) pointed out that although I had more patience with sewing than my sister, my sister had more patience with kids, (she liked to babysit, I did not).
I think this is really normal. Some people don't mind waiting in line, others hate it. Some don't mind long, repetitive, mundane tasks or sitting at traffic lights or digging a cm at a time.

Enjoyment takes Effort

Last week I went to a church sponsored activity. It was snow tubing at a resort. The idea is they have these long trails that are groomed and then there is a pulley system that will drag you up the mountain/hill so you don't have to walk to the top.

A few years ago, I went sledding with some of my roommates and they took snow mobiles so that when we got to the bottom the snow mobiles could pull us back to the top. It was fun but it wasn't my favorite way to go sledding. I thought it was because I don't love the smell of gasoline marring the "fresh mountain air," or the sound either. It is just noisy! I do think that was some of why I didn't love it, but maybe there was something more to it because this tubing experience wasn't the best either. Granted I wasn't in the best mood to begin with so that didn't really help my outlook but it did make me wonder if sometimes in the modern world there is so much that can be done to make things easy that we forget that sometimes (always?) it is the work that makes things worth it. The only time I really exerted myself on this tubing adventure was when I ended up helping the employees put away the tubes at the end of the night... And that was completely optional.

But just to be clear the tracks were really fast and were pretty cool.

The other thing I think I miss in some of this type of experience is the idea of exploration. I tried out each of the 5 tracks, but the whole time I was wondering what was on the other side of the hill. My roommate didn't even try out the different routes, she just asked the employee at the top of the hill which track was the best and went with that.

I just felt like I was missing out on 2 of 3 of the most important elements of enjoyment (that I made up just now), effort, discovery, and a fun activity.... But then again maybe I just thought too much...

Patience and Expectations

Several times lately I have told people, or just noticed, that different things in my life are going slowly. This includes my writing projects, my thesis project, the papers I've been grading and even aspects of my personal scripture study.

After a few different comments and some of my own ponderings I realized there was some reasons for this.

The first problem: Some of these projects I don't spend that much time. This last week I only spent a half hour at the most per day on my writing. Is it any wonder I haven't made very fast progress?

The second problem: My expectations tend to be too hopeful at times. I expect to be able to do a bit project in a week... even when I am working on it most of the work/school day that might not happen, because guess what? It's a big project!

On occasion I have been told I'm patient... maybe in some things, but apparently not in expectations.

Creation, More Than What You Put In

This is a painting I did in my high school art class. The teacher had a series of pictures from magazines that she had cut out and then let us pick one. Someone picked the one I wanted so I picked this one. After painting it (I struggled, we were supposed to be doing impressionism) I took it home and my Mom said it reminded me of my Dad's hometown. My brother-in-law asked why I had painted a dragon into it.
Neither was my intention.
I was surprised what other people saw in it.
A few weeks ago I was talking to my sister about my book. I was trying to figure out if I could emphasize certain characteristics in my main character. I had one example. My sister then proceeded to list off like 5 or 6 other examples of how the main character displayed that characteristic. I wrote the book. I knew what she was talking about but I hadn't realized that that characteristic was actually that important to the character.
My Dad told me that he knows he has done a good job programming something if he finds new ways to use it and it isn't limited to only what he initially programmed it for.
It seems like sometimes it is the interaction between the creation and a new person that reveals new depths but sometimes it is the creator him or herself that sees new potential in the already completed work.
It seems like the bigger and more involved the work the more potential it has. No wonder the creation of new life is so incredible and is it any wonder that creation is such an integral part of godhood.