At different points on the world map, for very different reasons, millions watch…and wait…and wait…and pray.
From Moscow to Pretoria, London to Cairo, the waiting continues, the days waiting accumulate, the story unfolds.
In an airport in Russia, government officials from across the globe, media representatives, human rights groups and passengers alike, wait to see what Edward Snowden’s next move will be, when he will make it, and how.
In a hospital in South Africa, with each breathe and each passing hour, just days away from his 95th birthday, a man who has stood tall as a symbol of hope and possibility now lies silently, as the people of his nation and the world wait, praying, that Madiba will continue to fight, this time for his life.
Meanwhile, outside a UK hospital, media remain camped out to hear, and mega-share, news of the first signs of arrival of the royal baby and future heir to the throne. Never before has a royal birth held the interest, imagination, and prayers for healthy arrival for mom and baby, of literally billions of people across the world. The waiting is briefly interrupted so that those on baby watch can place bets, purchase memorabilia or do a quick check in on what else is happening in the world.
And not far away in Egypt, Egyptians wait patiently to see who will be the people to move the people forward politically, economically, and emotionally. Prayers continue amidst protests, prayers from Ramadan…and all the days after.
And there are millions of other locations, and millions of reasons, where (and why) patience and prayer are the order of the day, week, month, year.
Interestingly, for the first time in a long, long time, our hyper-connected, immediate gratification, ‘now’ world is being told to wait. Sit tight, and wait.
The result? A clear reflection of how impatient, and often invading, watchers and waiters have become. The ability to know has given birth to a sense of the right to know. The mass knowing has lead to loss of understanding. The personal has been eclipsed by the public.
In our world today, moving forward is greatly a result of knowing more. The information age has been a massive blessing for billions of people hungry for not just information to feed their minds, but access to education to literally feed their bodies. Life management by smartphone has become a lifestyle that makes us wonder how we ever did without. Everything is right there, right now. And if it is not, surely there is an App to take care of that.
But when it comes to patience and prayer, only the good old fashioned ways apply.
Will it be pink or blue? Venezuela or Russia?
We will just have to wait and see…
For all of the satellite and bandwidth advances that exist in the world, with their ability to strengthen and speed up connectivity and curiosity, there is something lovely about knowing that sometimes, sometimes, things move at the pace they are meant to, not forced to. And sometimes only the hand of God is at the controls.
Copyright: ANITA MENDIRATTA 2013