Delayed Gratification

“It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.”                                                 – Lewis Grizzard

I had read somewhere that one of the traits that a mature person displayed was their ability to delay gratification.  I have a confession; sometimes I am downright immature, I want things and I want them now! 

If you have followed any of the UNconventional Nurse posts on Facebook or my newsletter, you may have seen my spin on the nursing process.  MAP IT – PLAN IT – DRIVE IT – VIEW IT – REMEMBER IT.  As the word process indicates, it means not now but in time, methodically and step-by-step.  That is such a hard thing for many of us that are doers, fixers and used to taking action because we want to help right now.  A process demands patience, it can involve days, weeks, months and sometime years to achieve something worthy.  It doesn’t appeal and sell as well as Easy, Free, Now!  I know that’s the thing that gets me to buy countless diet books and magazines that promise that this is the one that works now!

Early on we decided to teach our daughter gardening by giving her a little piece of land to grow things.  I knew I could use the process of sowing and reaping to help explain the virtue of patience.  I have been patiently waiting for my husband’s tomato plants to fruit  for what seems like ages; however, it has only been since May when he got them in the ground.  I don’t know about you but garden fresh tomatoes weave a spell over me.  Of course my spell conjures me in Italy, in an immense terraced garden where I am intoxicated with the smells of tomatoes, basil and rosemary.  As I bite into that first tomato, fresh and still warm off the vine I am filled with gratitude and so appreciative of the process.  The wait was worth it!