Waiting is hard. Does anybody actually enjoy the process of standing in line? Sometimes it feels like we’re searching for ways to distract ourselves before the inevitable conclusion. Waiting can be exceedingly lonely if we’re experiencing it in isolation. And yet, anticipation can be fun. That sense of longing for something you’ve put your hope in. Maybe it’s excitement about getting married. Perhaps you’re really looking forward to the new Spider-Man movie. Or you could just be waiting on your cake to finish baking. Currently, we are in the season of advent, an often reflective season in which we are challenged to look back on what all has happened the previous year, recognizing the impact those events have left on us and casting our gaze toward the upcoming year. It can be both sobering and joyful.