The Process of Waiting

Have you ever felt this way before? That a week has passed and that you felt as if nothing much has been done, this is how I felt for the past week. Not sure was it because of my work, or the hectic schedule, or the fact that I felt I have little time for myself... It felt that time flew too quickly, and what I set out to do for this week, suddenly seemed so unattainable, so huge as the week drew to an end. And work seemed to be turning in circles, what I mean is that, almost everyday I felt that I am starting from ground zero, as if the amount of work done on the previous day was all useless... This is the "painful" process of design, I presume.

Design, the process of finding an innovative solution, creative and yet functional, even to the extent of being meaningful, and at the same time generating or evoking an extraordinary experience for the users, for the designer per say, is not an easy task. How many try to innovate, to be unique, special? Yet, as one would examine further, one would suddenly recognise that in fact that somehow, somewhere, someone may have already thought of what you considered an unique solution. And even when someone, somewhere may not have come up with your unique solution, somehow nature itself may have already created something that is much more superior than your unique solution. I hope I didn't confuse you, guess you are now thinking that you are reading someone pretty baffled in her thoughts, and yes you are right.

It is precisely because of this, and an understanding of this truth several years ago in school, that I felt that, many times, the answer can be found in nature, ideas can be drawn from the very environment around us,the library of inspirations that God has left behind for His beloved creation. Yet how often we tend to forget this truth, browsing through works of great designers, almost to the extent of imitating them. I am not saying that this is wrong, yet there is a limitation to this method, and I have also often fallen into this trap of searching outside, looking towards man's wisdom for help, for inspiration, although deep within my heart, there are many occasions where I felt that the design isn't right yet, or the source of inspiration is not there, but simply because I felt I needed to do something, I started to look, to search.... yet forgetting the one most important thing, rest and wait, for within myself dwells my most Beloved.

Did I forget to ask Him? Yet when all this mental exercise is going on in my mind, I remembered I asked, I even remembered my dear friends asking on my behalf too. Yet why was the answer so late in coming? This is often the case... the process of waiting... Or did I actually wait? I pondered, I reflected, only remembering myself fluttering from one design to another, not taking time to be alone with Him after asking... perhaps that's why the answer can't get through my busy phone line...

Yes, indeed, I need to Stop and Rest in Him, for surely the answer will come, for He never fails, although it may seem late at times, in human terms. (Hope I remember what I have written here, and not rush off straight after this to try very hard on my own again..... Lord, help me even in this, teach me to labour into the much needed REST! Help!)

And yes, as a reminder to myself, I drew the above, as I needed to be reminded to rest in Him, because only in Him, can I truly be satisfied, and only in Him is where all my help and solution come from. I rest.

(Just a side note, thanks for all your encouragement and comments... my dream picture book will surely be born out of rest, not through my own puny self effort!)