We know waiting is a hard thing to do. But what’s even harder is waiting in vain or is it?
After three and an half months of lockdown, Freedom Day finally arrived on the 11th of October. No more counting the days, the wait is over.
To make the most of the fine weather and the privileges given to people who are fully vaccinated, on the first Freedom Sunday, I was out and about as normal, spending time at the beach, just doing things I loved and missed.
While in the middle of the costal walk, I decided to head towards the cliff – a nice spot to get a bird’s eye view of the ocean. Then when I got there, I found a small group of photographers was already in the front. They got in first, secured the best position over the edge of the cliff.
Everyone of them was well-equipped, carrying a big camera with a heavy-duty strap across their chest, as well as a shoulder bag over their back. Not to mention their most striking tool of trade – the lenses. They looked bulky, gigantic, long, perhaps over an arm’s length, were covered in a protective coat, mounted to the cameras. I could see they were out here for some serious fun.
While they all seemed to be happily chatting away, every few seconds or so some would look up and check what’s going on in the sky. Any ideas?
As I stepped a little bit closer, I overheard them talking about wind speed and direction and an impact on what they were waiting to see – an eagle.
Apparently, a mother eagle was sighted off the cliff here. What’s so interesting about it? Well, she was seen circling around the area (I also noticed it earlier), teaching her offspring how to fly.
The news must have spread fast. That’s why it drew this bunch of geeks to the site on this sunny day. Watching such a majestic bird in action would be an exciting pastime for these like-minded men. Imagine she was up in the sky, putting on a great show of flying over her territorial airspace, swooping and soaring. Call them bird-watching enthusiasts, nature photographers or whatever. They looked like they were ready to give it their best shot any time.
To record an eagle’s swift movement on film, any seasoned photographer would probably say it’s a matter of waiting and yet there’s no guarantee.
These birdwatchers could’ve been there all day not catching the glimpse of the eagle. But judging by the level of their energy, stamina and the bond between them, no doubt they were having a ball, regardless the eagle showed up or not at the end.
After stumbling across them that day, I felt inspired to write a post about waiting. Now it’s here!
The thing is, waiting is no stranger to fun and games. So, play with it. If we think about it, waiting is about managing expectations. Where there are expectations, there will be surprises or disappointment along the way. When we can factor the waiting time into the process and engage in activities that are worth waiting for, then waiting probably would not feel like waiting after all…
Ted Tsai 