mastering the skills of proper anticipation

The christmas (or more technically, advent) season can teach a whole lot of things to a whole lot of people. For instance, that guy I saw at target last week who was freaking out because he thought the stcking hanger was twenty cents cheaper than it rang up at the register could learn a little patience and civility. But for those of you who haven't yet found a way to benefit in your character development from the holiday season, let me offer a possibility, one that's certainly been teaching me.

One valuable life skills you can master in this season is the skill of properly anticipating. The holiday's offer opportunities aplenty for developing this attribute...I'm currently anticipating a trip to california, time with family, a package from my brother, a paycheck, a particular dinner that my wife's family enjoys, and of course the xbox 360 that I wrote about earlier, and am still waiting for. I'll admit this last one is proving very difficult.

Anyways, the point is that this season provides lots of opportuinites to wait, both for events and in places like the line at Target. And in such a wait-fest, much of which is beyond our control, iwe have the chance to shape the right kinds of attitude towards all kinds of things we have to wait on n the rest of our lives. It also makes it quite obvious to all the people around us, if not ourselves, how well or poorly developed our skills are at this point in our lives.

So, check yourself, and have a merry, character forming christmas...in a few days, that is.