Hey friends!
I want to share a trait that I think is lacking in our instant gratification society, but is THE answer to living a happy life. That trait is patience.
I recently finished a children’s book illustration class. During it, we learned about different techniques to use when creating art, what types of themes to consider, ways to shape the book by focusing on character design, and other aspects of children’s book illustration.
The reason I took this class is that I have written a children’s book, and wanted to keep this dream of getting the book published alive and well in my mind. However, while I love painting and drawing, I don’t think I have an entire book’s worth of illustrations in me. I knew from the syllabus that the teacher would go over the industry (getting an agent, publishing houses and details, etc) with us during the final week of the class. This is the information I was craving and waiting for.
Last week, the second to last week of the class, the teacher came around and checked in with everyone. During our check in, I told him that I had decided that I don’t want to illustrate the book. He said, “So you’ve pretty much been waiting this whole time for the last week, huh?” While I did enjoy drawing and dreaming about my book, I told him that, yes, I was waiting for the last week. He said “You’re very patient!” That struck me.
A lot of people might think that I had wasted a lot of time by being in the class, learning about art techniques I would not be using. But, I saw being in this class as an opportunity to continue to think about, dream about and talk about my book becoming real. I knew that the teacher is an expert, and I wanted to hear about his perspective and experience in the book publishing industry. Some of the information is Google-able, but a lot of what I want to know is real life people and what they have been through.
I have been reflecting on patience a lot lately. If you want something in life, it is important to put in the work, do your research, spend time dedicated to what you are aiming for, and don’t expect it to manifest instantly. Seeds get planted, take root, need nurturing, and start growing long before they produce flowers, fruit or vegetables. The result you want is in the consistency you put into it. Patience is a very important aspect of reaping rewards.
