Conversations with the Wise Old Man (Part I)

As I arrived at the old man’s house, he was as usual sitting at the front porch of his house on a stool gazing afar. He has the most beautiful garden one could ever imagine with all the roses, sunflowers, and all kinds of trees… some I don’t even recognize. It’s like heaven on earth; it has a soothing effect just to be there. I always wonder though if he is able to see it and enjoy the beauty given his dim sight. Walking towards the old man I was wondering what he was mulling over, maybe it’s a long lost love,  maybe it’s the adventures he had as a young man, maybe it’s about the beauty of the morning as the sun shines brightly and the birds chirp in the garden. As I got closer to his sight he put a big smile on his face, he must have just noticed my arrival. “Hello Giovane (a nickname he dubbed me, it’s Italian for ‘Young Woman’)! How are you this morning? Isn’t it a beautiful morning?” he said in a weak voice and added “You are right on time, for our appointment.” How did he know what time it is? I haven’t seen any clock in his house or a watch on his wrist ever. Even if he had one, he won’t be able to see it clearly. Besides I don’t think even Kuku, the house help who lives with him, could have told him given they barely speak to each other.  This old man always takes me by surprise. Baba, as he is called by his neighbors and friends, is a man of few words but when he speaks wisdom flows through his mouth. 

“How did you know I was right on time?” I asked in amazement. The old man replied with a grin “I have lived for 73 years on this Earth. I have heard the rooster announce the mornings and I have watched the sun rise and go down countless times. I know what position the sun takes at what time of the day.”

“You are a keen observer Baba; I don’t think many people pay attention to these things no matter how long they have lived.” He gave me a faint smile and turned his gaze to the garden. After some minutes of pondering in silence he said “So what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?” he must have picked up that I was growing impatient.

“I want you to share with me some pearls of wisdom about life, love, work and everything in between.”

A moment of silence.

I took a notepad and pen out from my bag, flipped the first page and waited for his response. I kept checking the time on my watch every now and then.

He finally broke the silence and uttered “Patience Giovane!”; 
“Patience and contemplating in silence, two things this generation is fundamentally short of. Everything is so fast paced and rowdy these days that you can’t even sit still and pay attention for a moment… Let me ask you a question. How many times have you paid attention and listened to your breath as it rolls in and out like the sound of the ocean waves, to your heart beat, to your inside? Take a moment each day, Giovane, to sit in silence and contemplate. It’s the way to discovering serenity and astuteness. Allow yourself the chance to get lost in the silence, that’s how you will find yourself.”

“Regarding patience, as the scripture says, Patience is the key to the kingdom of heaven. Patience is not only about waiting for something… it’s also about how you wait or your attitude while waiting. In our lives we are always waiting for something or another to happen or we are always trying to figure out why something happened or didn’t happen.  We want to know the outcome now, we want explanations now, and we want reasons now. It’s in our nature to try to figure out things now. However, learn to trust God to take care of things. If you are looking for answers or explanations they will come to you in their own way at the right time. If you are waiting for something to happen for you it will come to you in divine order at the right moment. Though things don’t fall into place right away know that everything happens for a reason. Learn to be patient and to trust God! He is always working on your behalf, He has got it covered!”

To be continued…..]

Upcoming posts on Everyday Inspirations: Conversations with the Wise Old Man (Part 2)

Thank you for reading!

Lidia