Living Outside the Lines: When “Suddenly” Shows Up

by, Becky J Miller

It’s been said that patience is a virtue. If that statement were true, then I would probably be considered virtue-less because patience and I are not good friends. While I am fully capable of waiting, I am definitely not a fan. Sadly, life does not fit into a tidy little box and whether I like it or not, hurry up and wait seems to be a constant.

Impatience comes naturally, especially when your name is Becky. My worldview often unreasonably dictates that certain events ought to happen in a certain way, and within a certain time frame. When they do not, I get frustrated and begin trying to determine who is responsible for turning my world off its axis. I know. Sometimes I wonder too why I’m not medicated.

Have you ever watched an artist work on a painting? The first brush strokes often resemble nothing more than an inky mess, but if you continue watching, suddenly forms begin to take shape. Patience is a lot like that, only we can’t usually see the brush strokes until the work is complete, and once it is, we experience a suddenly moment. That flash of revelation is an instant of pure bliss, you know, the tears of joy kind.

During my last semester of college, students were required to intern with a company. We were to identify a need within the chosen company and spend the entire semester working on a project for that company. I chose my current employer. Early in my tenure with the company, I had identified something I felt was missing, that semester gave me the opportunity to be a part of the change.

While students were free to choose the project, the academic requirements of the semester were extremely stringent. The procedural standards to be met and rigidly recorded were identical for all students, no matter the mission. The requirements were so inflexible, I was not completely confident my finished product would meet the corporate needs. I worked diligently to produce an artifact that was satisfactory both academically and corporately.

Since my professor, my project manager and a third non-biased rater all gave me perfect scores, I considered the internship a success, except for one small thing; the company did not immediately implement what I had done. Disheartened does not come close to describing my feelings. I poured my heart and soul into my project fully expecting the company to immediately begin using it.

Months passed while my project laid collecting dust. Yes, I made an “A,” yes I graduated, but my efforts seemed in vain, wasted even. I wanted so desperately to be an avenue of change, a change I felt would only improve the company, and nothing was happening. Occasionally I ranted, but mostly I was just frustrated, until my suddenly moment.

One morning this week I received a random email from my former project manager; totally out of the blue he informed me that my work was being implemented in an online course for new hires. I cannot begin to explain the delight his email brought me. Finally. Suddenly, eighteen months after I wrote the final pages, my time had come.

We all experience times in our lives where we think circumstances are never going to change, that the things we hope and dream of will never happen. Don’t be discouraged, and don’t give up, for your “suddenly” may be just around the corner.

Until Next Time,

Becky J Miller

“Warrior Princess”