October 30, 2026
Photo: Karsten Winegeart
From experience, I know—and you probably do, too—that some people are simply waiting for their ship to come in. In a way, they live in a waiting room until their real life begins. I first became aware of this when I met people who bought lottery tickets with intense expectation. Some of these dear souls do not just hope—they know they will win and that their life of ease and plenty will finally begin.
Some buy lottery tickets religiously, believing their chances of winning are so great that they even set aside a portion of their income to buy them. They live with the fantasy of their dreams coming true once their number wins. Talking about winning the lottery becomes part of their daily life. For example, they may say, "When I win the lottery, I will do such and such."
Buying lottery tickets gives some dear souls hope as they wait for their real life to begin. Paradoxically, the fantasy of a future life gives their present life some pizzazz—something exciting to look forward to right now. The problem is that so much of life is postponed that, unless they hit the jackpot, the life they long for never seems to begin.
This makes me reflect on the things I wait to do until I have the means. Not having the means is not the only thing that may stand in the way of doing them. I may wait until the mood is right, time is available, the risks diminish, my stamina improves, or the right mix of people comes together. By putting things off until the conditions are right, I become like the lottery ticket buyer, delaying much of the good that could already be part of my life.
It seems to me that age gives us a particular kind of license, one that comes with the rite of passage into the “second half of life” group. Included in that license is the freedom to do, see, encounter, explore, hear, feel, and fully experience what we need to feel complete. This does not mean hurting, harming, or taking advantage of anyone. It does not mean violating our moral code or spiritual identity. It means taking an honest inventory of what, for reasons known or unknown, we have waited to do and have given ourselves sober reasons for waiting.
In that spirit, I have stopped putting off several things I wish I had welcomed into my life sooner. One is to go ahead and greet a child or a dog in a public place, while remaining attentive to the parent’s or caretaker’s welcome. I have experienced great joy in meeting children and dogs who seem just as delighted to interact with me as I am with them. I've also found that, overwhelmingly, people enjoy having their children, babies, and animals greeted with warmth.
Another is stopping to read a historical marker while I am driving somewhere, even if I am on a schedule. I also now try movies and books I would never have considered before. I want to visit the Galápagos Islands, New Zealand, Chile, and Antarctica. Rather than leaving these journeys entirely in the realm of "someday," I am beginning to take steps toward them now. At a special dinner at a restaurant, I order what I have a taste for instead of preaching to myself that it is too caloric or too expensive.
And I now pay people to help me with my yard work, even though I could try to do much of it myself. It simply takes me much longer these days, and I would rather spend that time doing other things—things I once would have put off with the excuse, "I do not have time—look at all I have to do."
The spiritual life is filled with curiosity, adventure, and numinous experiences. How can we venture into our wholeness if we never question some of our habitual “no-nos” and allow ourselves to do what is in our hearts? What are we waiting for—the lottery?
Spiritual Practice
Try doing something your heart longs for that you have waited and waited to do—or make a concrete plan to do it. Afterward, reflect: How did the experience deepen your connection to your soul?
Inquiry
Which of your habitual "no-nos" might you be ready to reconsider? What longing of your heart invites you to do so?
Prayer
Dear God, for the freedom to be, I give You thanks.
Amen
