Musings at Altitude

I was thinking this morning about days without challenge.  There haven’t been many recently.  In fact, I can’t remember a single one…even on weekends…something always comes up.

Some days are much more challenging than others.  Typically those most challenging days are when I’m dealing with very challenging people.

And the days that are most rewarding are often times the days with the most challenges that have been overcome.

Sometimes, in the most challenging issues, I wait.  And waiting isn’t typically what I want or like to do.  In fact, my natural tendency is to react, not to wait.  But it’s amazing how many challenges resolve themselves by waiting.  They don’t actually resolve themselves, but they do get resolved by others who are directly impacted or have the ultimate responsibility to take on those challenges and bring them to some form of resolution.

For me, challenging people are much tougher than challenging issues.  Challenging people bring egos, and agendas, and personal biases to every situation.  Challenging issues don’t have any of those.   Challenging people take days, weeks, months or years to address and affect, and challenging people require a level of patience and wisdom beyond any capabilities I have today.

So in the mornings I pray for wisdom…and from that wisdom I seek patience…and from that patience I faithfully find peace in dealing with most challenges – either issues or people.

But not always!

Sometimes those challenges haunt me…for quite a long time.  And when they do, I find I learn the most.  I find I grow the most.  I find I feel a sense of accomplishment beyond belief when progress is made against those lingering challenges.

So I’ll keep praying, and I’ll keep asking for wisdom and seeking that patience.

I needs lots more of both!