“A hare was one day making fun of a tortoise for being so slow upon his feet. ‘Wait a bit,’ said the tortoise. ‘I’ll run a race with you, and I’ll wager that I win.’ ‘Oh, well,’ replied the hare, who was much amused at the idea, ‘let’s try and see.’ “
~ excerpt from Aesop’s Fables, “The Hare and the Tortoise”
image courtesy of James Barker/freedigitalphotos.net
I have a problem.
Like the hare in this fable, I am “much amused” at the idea of slowness. I am in love with immediacy.
“When the time came both started off together, but the hare was soon so far ahead that he thought he might as well have a rest. So down he lay and fell fast asleep. Meanwhile the tortoise kept plodding on, and in time reached the goal. At last the hare woke up with a start and dashed on at his fastest, but only to find that the tortoise had already won the race.
Slow and steady wins the race.”
~excerpt from Aesop’s Fables, “The Hare and the Tortoise”
Walking my son through Kindergarten is eye opening. Did you know that a group of crows is called a “murder?” Did you know beavers have transparent eyelids? Yeah, me neither!
I’ve also learned that God has given my son the ability to grasp reading and mathematics quickly. Before his teacher presented addition, my boy figured out that 20 + 20=40. When I asked him how he knew this, he answered, “40 is the number that just popped into my head.”
I started to believe that this whole school thing would be easy for him.
Wrong.
When my son comes across a math problem or word in a book that he does not automatically know, he becomes frustrated. Asking him to build the problem with his math blocks or to break the word into different phonetic sounds, aggravates him.
My little man wants to know instantly the answer without understanding the why behind the correct answer. He is his mother’s son- easily amused at slowness.
A lover of immediacy.
image courtesy of bplanet/freedigitalphotos.net
What I learned while walking my son through Kindergarten
Whenever I face a challenging “word” or “problem” in life, I do not desire to plod along through it like the tortoise in Aesop’s fable. I want the answer or change I wish to happen quickly. This mama wants to move through life’s seasons and problems like I move through the drive through at Chick-fil-A.
Plod along? No way- give me my waffle fries before they get cold.
However,
Slow and steady wins the race.
Friends, Kindergarten has taught me to surrender my love of immediacy and preference for impatience. I must slow down- not in a physical sense, but in a mental/spiritual/emotional sense. My mind is often racing at night, preventing me from sleeping soundly. Worry and anxiety take up residence in my heart and mind. My prayer life wilts. I devour food with gluten, or countless opinions, hoping they enable me to move on from whatever I deem is imperfect or inconvenient in my life.
I am a lover of immediacy. And I need to stop being one.
Friends, would you pray for me? Pray that my desire and ability to plod along would grow. I will reach God’s unique finish line for my life. He has much for me to learn and enjoy as I plod along towards it.
One Degree Moment:
Friends, I would love to pray for you too! Who do you identify with in the fable above- the hare or the tortoise? Please share with us below in the comment section.
If you identify with the tortoise: you may feel inadequate or that nothing you are doing is helping to better your situation. Keep plodding along. God is with you. His timing is perfect, and He loves you. Slow and steady wins the race.
For my fellow hares: let’s be honest, the harder “math numbers” and “reading words” of life will eventually come our way. Our figurative season of “Kindergarten” with its silly songs and nap time will end.
Why are we in a rush to enter High School and all its drama?
Our current season, ripe with difficulties or frustrations, is beautiful and needed. Similar to my son’s Kindergarten assignments, our current season is teaching us how to “color in the lines” and perfect our “penmanship.” How about we slow down and use the “math blocks” or “phonogram cards” in front of us. God has given them to us for a reason and for our next season.
Stop believing “slowness” is hilarious.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Oh how I identify with that hare!! In my mind at times I think if I come more ground, more rapidly the I will accomplish more!! Then I can move on to the next check of item on my list!! And also I too can identify with the tortoise yet from a procrastination Point of view where I don’t need to accomplish anything today and I am totally alright there too!! Balance is the theme I need prayer for so I am not rushing and also so that I’m not procrastinating! I know that when I start my day with my time spent with our Lord in prayer all seems to go much smoother in my day!! Your reading caused me to think more about some of my tendencies!! So Blessed that you have shared!!!
I love your honesty Terry! I can see some procrastination in areas of my life as well. But yes, balance is important too. Praying for you!
I unfortunately identify with the tortoise. Between procrastination and thinking too deeply, I achieve task slowly. I want to go faster but sometimes feel unsure. Thank you for your prayer for team tortoise. 🙂
You are welcome! God bless.
I am a tortoise. Waiting. Wondering. Reminding myself I am where God wants me right now. Soon He will guide me to some other action. Being patient and waiting for His timing; learning and maturing through the mundane. This is my life in a nutshell.
Thank you for sharing Barbara. I believe that you are in a beautiful season even though it seems mundane. I look forward to seeing what God does when your time of waiting ends. I think that learning and maturing are two of the gifts that “slow and steady” provide… He will guide you friend. This I know!