Waiting in Anticipation

August 5, 2013   Waiting with Anticipation

        The local county fair is over, and the anticipation and preparation for the Wyoming State Fair begins.  The week before and the week of the local fair, I tried to imagine the harried preparations being completed at the homes, farms, ranches throughout the county.  Sewing, baking, painting, frosting, working with pigs, sheep, dogs, cattle – all to do and show the best one can do.   

          I was never in 4-H but I went to at least three county fairs in the area every summer growing up and the Minnesota State Fair three or four times.  My four female cousins were very active, and I got caught up in the rivalry among the 4-H Clubs and the dress revue competition.  How exciting to sit in the old high school auditorium, watching the strangers from other towns, plus my cousins, wear their creations.  After the construction of the clothing was judged, I’d hear about various seam finishes, and which was best, which was just for show – in order to win the blue ribbon.  The fried onions on the hamburgers from the 4-H booth were the absolute best.  I believed so because I was told so, and my taste buds were primed to agree.

       Anticipation is the overall theme.  We spend months in school (both as a student and a teacher), waiting for the weekend or Christmas break or spring break.  I await the visit with friends, the trips here, the trips there.  I anticipated my son’s wedding for a year, and I enjoyed every precious moment of thinking about and planning for that special event when relatives would travel to see where we live and visit in our home territory.   I wile away the minutes, hours, days until the birthday luncheon, the college football games, even church on Sunday finally occurs.

      I read that nostalgia is not bad; it is good for emotions.  So, is looking to the future also good for us?  It’s really not “living in the present.”  Our brains can handle past, present, and future, but do our emotions handle those time moments as well?  Balance is probably the key… or the other, more quoted word “moderation.”   Don’t spend too much time in the past or future.  Worrying is definitely out, but anticipation?  I’m addicted to it!!