Virtue...smirtue....I hate waiting......

Hey, let me ask you a question. Yes, you. I gotta know. Have you ever known something or someone was coming to you and just couldn't wait? The thought of the arrival of the item or person consumed you so much that you could not eat, sleep or think straight. C'mon, you know you have felt this way. Let me try to help you remember or at least relate. Grandma. She visits once a year. She lives thousands of miles away and you only get to see her for the 2 weeks that she is here. Those two weeks are the most amazing, fun-filled, exciting times that your little 8 year old brain can possibly handle. She bakes you chocolate chip cookies. She bakes Apple Pies that are so good, you know you will never find their equal. She takes walks with you to the Thrifty Drug store to buy you ice cream cones (double chocolate malted crunch and butter pecan) even though her body is racked with Osteoporosis. She goes to your school and has lunch with you. She knits you an afghan of your school colors. You remember those times. If it wasn't your Grandma (as it was in my case if you have not figured it out yet) it was an aunt or uncle or cousin. You get the point. Now, think about the weeks prior to their arrival. You started to get excited. As the time wound down to a week, you could hardly contain yourself. Then you were down to mere days and you were literally bouncing off of the walls. The night before....you were totally incapable of sleeping. Even the Benadryl your mom spiked your milk with has no effect. You are wired. You are uncontrollable. But it is good. Eventually, your body craps out and you pass out. Only to wake up at the butt-crack of dawn ready and raring to get to the airport for the long-awaited reunion. Isn't that moment that you see them coming down the jet way worth everything? Even now, as you are reading this, aren't you feeling that all over again. I am. This is the kind of anticipation that I am talking about. Not convinced you know what I mean? Okay, try this. You go through ten boxes of Cocoa Krispies in just under two weeks so that you can collect enough box tops to send away for your very own Spider-Man decoder ring. After the nausea finally passes, you help mom address the envelope and walk it out to the mailbox knowing that in 6-8 weeks, you will finally be able to solve any mystery the world may throw at you. The first 4 weeks pass rather uneventfully. You have almost forgotten about it. Then Matt tells you he started collecting box tops and BAM!!! you remember that you have your ring coming soon. You rush home that day and check the mailbox. This ritual is repeated every day until the moment of truth arrives. You get your ring!!!! It does not matter that 3 hours from that moment, the ring will be put down and never touched again. What matters is that it was there. You waited. You did not die while waiting (as you thought you would 6 1/2 weeks ago). Now try to tell me you can't relate to that.... It's anticipation, man. Remember the saying Patience is a Virtue? Try telling that to an 8 year old waiting for Grandma or a 10 year old waiting for a decoder ring.... Or a 34 year old waiting for a special moment..... What am I waiting for? What has me so excited and worked up? I'm not telling. Ha ha. Suffice it to say, I cannot sleep.