The Waiting Room

I was actually surprised to meet her there, in the waiting room. Really, I shouldn't have been, because I knew that sooner or later, she would show up, as would so many other young people I knew. I must've been too absorbed in my research and paperwork to notice her entrance. But now, I was taking a much-needed break, and motioned her to come to my area.

"How are you?" I asked warmly, fully expecting a positive reply.

"Well --- fine, I guess. You know," she added quickly, "there are SO many people here." Her dismay was evident.

"Right you are! Must be a pretty big boat, for all of us to be in it." My attempt at humor failed.

"Well," she retorted frostily, "I just hope it doesn't sink before I can get rescued."

I closed my mouth with a snap. My goodness! What was wrong? She was only there a few minutes, and already the sour attitude!

I had been on my way out, to explore the grounds surrounding us. Before I left, I showed her around the place; the chairs - which ones were the most comfortable, the snacks - what tasted decent, the reading material - which ones weren't a waste of time, and all the other good things. I was really itching to leave already, but I did her one more favor.

I made some introductions to the receptionists. Now, if you ask me about these introductions, I personally don't see the big point in them. These receptionists are viewed as minor heroes, though I haven't yet figured out why. All they do is announce the people's names. They're only following orders from the One in charge - they don't really make any decisions. But introductions make everyone happy, so they're done.

After the introductions, I finally escape to the cool air outside.

Let me tell you, this waiting room is a popular place. Lots of people come here. They all have different underlying motives for coming, but in the end, each person is waiting to be called in. "In" for what? I can't really tell you - I wasn't called yet. But it must be something really great and wonderful. I know that, because every person who's waiting, speculates in wild fantasies about what waits him or her once their name is announced, and they enter.

And those announcements! They are very, very loud. They are blasted over the entire campus of this huge waiting place. I've seen people come running in from the other side, by the lake, gasping and giggling in excitement at their name being unexpectedly announced. I've also seen people who were sitting on a hard chair right next to the receptionists' window, (as if that would help them to be called faster, which of course, it didn't and only served to intensify their fatigue!) - yawn and stretch, and smile a tired kind of smile as they shuffled to the big gleaming door, after having heard their name echo around the campus.

The point that I'm trying to show you, is that the announcements are so loud, you can hear them from practically anywhere, no matter where you are, or what you're doing. When it's your turn, have no fear - you will hear the call clearly!

Besides for some of the receptionists, who already had their names called, everybody here is waiting.

Some people are only waiting. This means that they might be occupied with other things, but they're preoccupied with the wait. My heart goes out to them. Poor guys! It must be so boring, probably depressing, and certainly tiring! Each announcement is surely another disappointment for them, because it’s not their name they hear.

Some other people are also waiting. This means that they might be occupied with the wait. (Either they are, or they aren’t – depending on the amount of research, paperwork or prerequisite meetings, needed for their specific case.) But they are preoccupied with other things.

Oh, how much happier and peaceful the second group seems to be! They’re busy enjoying themselves, while they happen to also be waiting.

So you might be wondering, what is there to enjoy?

Take the campus, for example. It’s stunning.

The grass is soft, and lush, and green – the type that makes you want to run around without shoes. You can find vast orchards with fragrant fruits. Endless mazes of bubbling streams that come together to form a mighty river. It rushes on, cascading down smooth rocks, to be swallowed by the sparkling lake. If you stand close enough, you can see a rainbow hovering in the delicious mist that soothingly dusts your hands and face, until it starts trickling down your nose, and you wonder why your mouth suddenly tastes so sweetly wet. The breezes are nothing short of vitalizing. And those gardens! Perfect symmetry in a gorgeous blend of expertly groomed hedges and patches of delicately shaded petals squinting in the warm light. On this campus, the sun is always shining. Granted, the clouds can get in the way, but the sun is always shining behind them, above them.

Besides for the great outdoors, there is an endless array of options to fill your time with. As many people as you have met in your life – and what they do, is only a fraction of all the options there are to choose from. Schools to learn in, and to teach in, books to read, and to write, rooms to build, and to live in, jewelry to design, and to wear, food to prepare, and to eat, businesses to establish, and offices to staff … the choices are never-ending! The vast selection of occupations, roles and positions are displayed in a dazzling exhibition that can make a person dizzy, wishing he’d be everything! Especially, since many of these options are not available after one’s name is announced, people are cashing in on all they possibly could!

The people striding purposefully around here look like they’re actually enjoying their waiting time! I think it’s amazing what a change of scenery can do.

Back to the waiting room. Did I forget to explain the system of the order in which the people are announced? It’s really quite simple.

You see, there’s no order.

I’m sorry, correction. There IS a system, and there is an order, but nobody knows it. Only the One calling all the shots, of course, the One telling the receptionists who to call out next, yes, He knows. But try as we might, we could not figure out any pattern.

We really tried, my friends and I. We had it all worked out. Our elaborate theories worked – almost.

For example, we used to think that age was THE factor. Nope. Just look around. The boy that was just called is three years younger than I am! And there are people sitting here with white hair.

Intelligence? Education? Not that either. Did you see the doctor sitting to the side? He’s got an IQ like that of a genius. Total the people sitting here, with only one cornier of the room’s titles and degrees, and you’ll have the entire alphabet spelled out. They’re all dawdling, their prominent gold letters and names gathering dust.

Good looks? Nice try. That beautiful person sitting across from me is still waiting.
Money? That seemed to be a popular theory – until we heard the pauper’s name announced, and noticed that the famous philanthropist was still strolling around, waiting for his name to be called.

Family lineage? Good try. What then, is that entire family doing, sitting here?

Popularity, personality? We were convinced, that must be it! Oh, what a silly theory. Glance around to discover some of the world’s kindest, finest, most charismatic, eloquent and charming people … all waiting.

We discussed every possible theory in great detail. Our final conclusion about the order was: OK, we know there’s a system, but we’ll never figure it out. And since we can’t figure it out, there’s nothing we can practically do to get our names moved up to the top of the list, and shorten the wait.

All we can do is wait patiently to be called.

About this waiting business … sometimes, it can just get to me. It probably gets to everyone, some time or another.

The One in charge knows that the waiting can be a challenge.

He’s really nice. He made a huge campus for us to enjoy, till our names get called. He designed it especially for us, and He’s happiest when we enjoy it and use it to its fullest capacity. In fact, when it’s all over, He’ll ask us if there were any things that we didn’t use for our pleasure, and we’ll have to tell him why!

Yes, there’s a waiting room. But its chairs are stiff, the lighting unnatural. Let me tell you, that room is packed. It’s stifling. To me, it’s claustrophobic. You take one look around, and you start to panic. So many people waiting to be called! Some bright fellow passes around a chart showing statistically how it’s not possible for everyone to be called. Smart, isn’t he! Of course, it’s natural for nerves to fray, in such a stuffy atmosphere. That’s what I call a crisis – panic! Every time there’s another announcement, everyone in the room jumps, hoping, wishing that it were their name. people are practically sitting on the edge of their chairs; that’s how tense they are!

Why, I know of a certain poor girl, whose parents pressure her to stand right at the window of the receptionists, so that maybe if they constantly see her, something in the order of the list would change. She looks exhausted and smothered with despair. And there’s another person who is afraid to pick up one of the books lying around, for fear that either he’ll be called just as he is beginning a fascinating chapter, and won’t be able to finish, or that he’ll be too engrossed to hear his name altogether. Silly boy.

The list will retain its original order, regardless of the positions of the people whose names appear on it. And the announcements are so loud, there’s no way that the person who’s being called will miss his turn, no matter if he’s inside or outside.

So, it’s quite a puzzle for me to understand why this jail-like waiting room is so full of nervous people. Why don’t they just go out, and air out a little bit! Why is everybody so adamant about waiting inside? Outside is so much more comfortable and pleasant. No one is going to be called any faster if they stay inside that overheated room. They’d make everyone – including themselves – a lot happier if they’d focus their attention on the beauty of the campus and the unlimited options that it has to offer to one and all.

Now, if they feel like going in to remind the receptionists every so often that they’re still waiting – even though they’re outside – then you know what? If that makes them feel better, alright. But know: it won’t speed up or slow down any order of any Master lists. I’m not sure how much it really helps.

My friend, I have a secret I’d like to share with you. It’s something that I know helps, both practically and emotionally. Every so often, I take out my communicating device, something a little comparable to a phone. I scroll through, till I find what I want. It comes preprogrammed, and can never be erased. Every device comes with it, and sometimes, it takes some time until you discover it. But it’s worth the effort.

I’m talking about the private cell phone number of the One in charge of the whole system. I like to send him a little text message, just as a reminder. I know He doesn’t need any reminders. He has my name on His list. After all, He was the One Who invited me to come here in the first place. But it makes me feel better to know that whenever I need some reassurance that I wasn’t forgotten about, I just send a message. (Sometimes, I also send messages for my friends who are also waiting. They say that another message can never hurt.)

And then, I hear a little “ding!” Two words flash back at me: “Message received.” I know He’s never too busy to accept and read my messages.

And I smile. Soon, although I don’t know exactly when – I may be on the farthest corner of the campus, but I’ll hear my name being called. And I’ll come running, in breathless excitement, thrilled with the understanding that it’s finally my turn, and even happier with the knowledge that I used my waiting time in the most productive manner possible, and enjoyed this period to its fullest!

And when I push open that gleaming door adorned with flowers and lace, and wave a temporary good-bye to my friends who will soon join me, I gaze at the little plaque that hangs, describing in one all-encompassing word that whole complicated waiting business …

Ah, but I’m sure you’ve already guessed that one word engraved in the plaque on the door –

Shidduchim …!