A lesson in patience produced a magical experience

Have you ever had an exacerbating experience that annoyed you or maybe even made you angry that turned into something magical? Did it remind you of the first two words of the love chapter?

Sometimes God taps us on the shoulder and indulges us with a happy ending.

My husband, Roger, and I like to celebrate the zero birthdays in a big way. For my 40th we went to Greece and visited the island of Santorini. We stayed in a picture postcard inn carved into an impressive cliff above the sea. If you think of Greece, you’ve seen the pictures before of the white plastered buildings with the blue domes and white crosses. Roger loves his role as a travel agent for our trips. Which is how we ended up staying in the tiny, charming village of Oia, pronounced e-ah. Our room carved deep into the cliff provided natural air conditioning even on the warmest of days.

He’d made a special dinner reservation that night at an open-air restaurant known for its seafood. After exploring the lovely island on a motor scooter, we looked forward to our impending dinner. We found the restaurant packed when we arrived. They offered us a drink and then another one. As an hour and a half went by, we thought to leave, but the place looked so beautiful. We also thought we may have the same issue elsewhere. I admit, I was not happy and was getting more and more worked up about it. Roger tried to amuse me while we waited.

They rewarded us with a gorgeous table right near the water’s edge at 10pm. I admit I was holding on to some anger but our waiter was so charming, my annoyance waned away. But the best was yet to come. The fresh seafood was exceptionally tasty. The sunset was breathtaking. The Greek music had a calming, mesmerizing effect. Tears dwelled in my eyes just thinking how thankful we were to be here. But there was much more.

As we were the last patrons to be served, the restaurant cleared out until we were the only ones lingering. As we are prone to do, we asked the waiter about himself. He told us he was a dancer and his actual dream was to go professionally. We asked him what kind of dance he was pursuing and he said ballet. Then he did a remarkable thing. He offered to show us his latest dance audition. He quickly cleared away the tables. We’d offer to help, but in a flash, he had enough space. He dashed to get his iPod and chose the music. There before us was Mr. Balletto dancing under a full moon on the Aegean Sea. He danced and danced, a smile beaming from his face with more tears rolling down mine.

If we had secured our seats at our arrival time; we would’ve missed a passionate performance from this enthusiastic young dancer. My annoyance and anger embarrassed me, which my husband was the recipient. If only I just breathed in the amazing view, let the music calm my soul, and appreciate being where I was.

How often do we miss the beauty of a moment, for our hearts and minds are stuck on the simple inconveniences? Driving in traffic? Waiting in line at the grocery store or post office? Can we take a moment, step back, and breathe?

What do you do to keep your patience? Be sure to share.