Waiting is one of those things that can be simultaneously wonderful and awful. There’s anticipation, excitement, dread, fear. When we are kids we know, at least most of us do, that Santa will definitely come. What’s not to love? But will he bring the presents we asked for, and the ones we didn’t, though we’re sure, since he’s magic, that we’ll know about them anyway.
I remember lying in bed one Christmas morning imagining playing with a maze game. It was too early to get up, and besides, the game I played in my imagination was better than anything that could happen in the real world (just think how amazing Mousetrap looked in the ads, and how it never worked). Santa didn’t bring the maze game, which may or may not have been on my list, and I can still feel the disappointment of realising it wasn’t there. But, do you know what: I remember the excitement of anticipation and the fun I had thinking about the game.
In the Scottish writers’ calendar, this time of year also brings the anticipation of the outcome of the New Writers’ Awards and, though it’s been drifting to spring and even summer some years, the contributors list for New Writing Scotland. I try not to get excited about either of these, as I’ve yet to get a ‘yes’ from either, but then I do get excited, because I’ve had lots of ‘oh, you were so close…’ Fingers crossed – I hope that one of these days I’ll wear them down.
My family has also been waiting patiently for an operation to go ahead (I’ll not be more specific, as it’s not my place to be), but alas, for the second time, it’s been cancelled. So, election day won’t be operation day, and the wait goes on. Dread, anticipation, but also the excitement of a pain free new year.
Keep checking back – there’s a Christmas giveaway coming soon. Not too long to wait.
