Patience. The Wikipedia definition of Patience (or forbearing) is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on negative annoyance/anger; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. Patience is the level of endurance one can take before negativity. It is also used to refer to the character trait of being steadfast.
In my younger days, I thought patience was a waste of time. Why wait, when you could simply just push a little harder and achieve the objective you have in your mind? I did not see patience as the “virtue” it was suggested to be, but as a weakness.
When I think about that now, as experience colors my view as much as it does my hair, I see that had I exercised patience a little more often in my younger years, perhaps I could have saved myself some of these hard won gray hairs!
The link between patience and negativity is also an interesting one to ponder. Impatience certainly breeds negativity, but thinking of it as an endurance exercise makes it both fun and challenging.
The MotoSoul project is a passion project. One of the ways I am determined to keep the passion in it, is to exercise more patience. To wait for the right things to happen. To allow the universe to provide and help. Good things sometimes need time to ripen properly. Like a fine wine, MotoSoul will get better with more time. The right people show up with patience. The right solutions come about when more options are considered.
For example, if I had charged forward with the initial concept for the restaurant, and with limited patience for delays or changes, we would likely be knee deep in big challenges right now and certainly would have missed the opportunity to find the alternate solutions we discovered which make more sense all around.
So, how does this tie into motorbiking, pursuing your passion, and maximizing life’s enjoyment, which is what MotoSoul is all about? Do you ever set off for a day’s ride with a plan, including where you will have lunch, how many miles you will do, and where you will go? Does it ever not go according to plan?
I set off on a ride recently with nothing more in mind than which direction to head based on the weather and time of year. The first change of plan came when I hit dense fog on a mountain pass. Rather than continue south, where I knew I would stay in the fog, I headed east. The next change came when I determined that the big loop I originally thought I would do might take me through some rough weather. Continue east and see what happens. I then thought maybe I would catch one of my favorite coffee stops on a favorite road, but I wasn’t certain how to get there from where I was. After several attempts, I finally decided to just follow the road I was on and see where it lead.
A wonderful winding road in extreme wind created a little more action that I anticipated, BUT ALSO A LITTLE MORE FUN! That road ended at a dirt road, another new discovery, and another adventure! I had to slow down yet again, but the views and challenges were certainly worth it!
With every change of plan, adaptation, and unknown did I become impatient/negative? Indeed, my reaction was just the opposite. I persevered, and even thrived in the face of changes, delays, and the unexpected.
One thing I would really love to offer to our MotoSoul guests is the ability to choose the “Unknown Ride”. I believe that the freedom and opportunity for pure joy in every moment is present when there is an absence of anticipation and expectation. I expect that our guests that are willing to sign up for a tour to unknown destinations, and allow the days to simply unfold, would experience more joy, wonder, and awe than those who knew the itinerary in advance.
As I continue to practice patience in the pursuit of this project, I look forward to proving this theory and seeing the joy!