The Opportunity

A woman prayed for patience, love and strength for her family. Not long after that, her family was waylaid with a series of difficulties. In the midst of everything, she decided that she could not continue living with her husband whom she felt had changed into someone she could not share a life with anymore. She took the three children and journeyed home.

Half way, they took a break and the children went off to refresh themselves. She was left alone at the table with her empty plate. As she put up her hand to signal a waiter to refill her plate, someone came to her.

The waiter, who was old but seem wise, approached her. He commented that she looked tired and troubled. The woman poured her story; she said despite of all the praying to keep the family together, nothing was going well for the family. She waited for the expected consolation. Instead, the wise man said - so every often people prayed for things that they want. But did the people expect to be given love, or the opportunity to love, did the people expect to be given strength or the opportunity to be strong, did the people expect to be given patience or the opportunity to learn to be patient?

With that the woman lapsed into silence. When she turned to address the man, he had disappeared and her plate was full. Once the kids returned, she drove home, to her husband.