The Waiting Room

It’s a funny thing waiting. We all patiently - or impatiently - stand in straight lines, wavered lines, spaced out lines, tight packs, little clusters - to get our coffees, cigarettes, another round at the bar…

Sometimes we wait at home, for a package, a phone call, a letter. And then sometimes we wait in rooms - conveniently called waiting rooms.

In waiting rooms we sit and twiddle our thumbs, play on our phones, or intently stare around the room pretending to find its contents interesting - we do anything other than make awkward eye contact with the other waiters.

Whether the wait of these lines, letters, packages, calls or visits are for good, shocking, exciting or bad all depends on our circumstances. The pressure is on and so is our gaze on our watch faces.

But what about the waiting rooms you can’t see? The letters you don’t get? The phone call that doesn’t come? In waiting rooms you know what you’re waiting for - you made the appointment. When you order something online, you know what to expect.

But what about situations where you didn’t place the order? When you don’t know when or what your delivery’s going to be? We all know this kind of waiting room - the waiting room of life.

Sometimes when we are sick we get closer to our appointment date, or if we are in a severe accident, we may be called up to the desk and then after a douse of electricity to the chest we are asked to return to our seat.

What about when you are old? And you’ve been in the waiting room for a long time and you’re aware the offices are closing soon? How anxious must that person get? Knowing their time is almost ready, almost spent, almost up. How hard that must be to process? To be prepared to be escorted off the premises before we’ve finished taking care of our business - The body guards of Gaia gripping us firmly by the arm and frog marching us to the white door.

Suddenly waiting in the waiting room doesn’t seem so bad and you’d give anything to shuffle around in your seat again avoiding awkward eye contact with your neighbour.

Waiting can be hard, especially when you are old, sick and frail - endlessly waiting for your appointment and never knowing when it’s going to be your turn…

Always make sure to give your loved ones support whilst they wait, or at least, pack them their favourite memories for their journey. 

- Letters from R.E.N

“I write letters about my struggles, life, experience, and observations. All thoughts are my own.”

By anonymous featured writer, ‘Letters from R.E.N’. See ‘Team’ for more information and contact details.