That quote from my dad about 'trust the process' finally clicked after I wrecked my garden

For years my dad kept telling me 'trust the process' whenever I complained about things not working out. I thought it was just some feel-good nonsense he picked up from a self-help book. Then last spring I planted tomatoes in mid-April because I got impatient with the cold weather. They all died after a surprise frost on May 2nd. My neighbor who waited until Memorial Day weekend had a bumper crop by August. It hit me that he wasn't talking about blind faith, he was talking about watching the timing and conditions play out before jumping in. Now I hear that quote every time I want to rush a decision, whether it's about my route at work or fixing something around the house. Has anyone else had a quote they dismissed for years suddenly make sense after a specific failure?

2 comments

2 Comments

allen.quinn17d agoTop Commenter

Wait, are you trying to tell me that all those times my dad said "patience is a virtue" when I was a kid, he actually had a point? Because I used to roll my eyes so hard at that one. I figured it was just something adults said to shut you up when you wanted things now. But after I tried to fix my truck's alternator without reading the manual first and ended up frying the whole electrical system, I started wondering. A buddy who took his time and watched a couple YouTube videos got his done in an afternoon with no problems. Now I catch myself muttering that stupid line under my breath when I'm about to do something stupid in a hurry. It still annoys me that my old man was right all along, but the proof is everywhere if you look for it.

lisa67117d ago

Oh man, that story about your garden is a perfect example, right? It's wild how the same advice can sound so empty until you actually live through the moment it applies to. I had a similar thing with my grandma's old saying about "good things come to those who wait" - thought it was just an excuse for being lazy. Then I rushed into buying a used car without getting it checked out first, and it broke down two weeks later. My buddy who waited around for a certified pre-owned one ended up with a way better deal. Now I catch myself repeating that dumb phrase when I'm about to impulse buy something, and it actually works.