“We Shall See” is a phrase I hear myself, and others, say quite often. Have you ever wondered what it really means? I believe it all depends on the context at the time this phrase is evoked. I find that when I use that phrase it’s because I’m impatient about something and want things to move a little (or a lot) faster than it is at that moment.
It can also mean that I’m trying to force an outcome, and I’m not yet resigned to the fact that it’s something that is out of my sphere of influence. Then there is the fact that I don’t know what to expect and need something to say. Most often it has to do with impatience and feeling out of control of the situation. As I reflect, I find myself evoking this very phrase followed with a big sigh. I’m reminded of the many times this has resonated with me.
We Shall See
Sometime in the distant past, I was enjoying a pleasant time with a new friend. We both were lamenting our situations, both good and bad. Part of that conversation had to do with the waiting game after our two interviews. Thus, we both made the same remark, “We shall see.” The fact that we had little to no control as to what the next steps would be after an interview was frustrating. We spent a great deal of time discussing that frustration and making plans to try to hurry the process. We parted, hugging each other, giving each other our best wishes.
The reality is there are times where we have little to no control in our lives. We just think we do, especially when everything is going the way we desire. The key is to do the very best we can every day and things will happen. The neat part is if we take that approach, it takes the pressure off having to be in control all the time and life is so much more interesting and fun.
When we look at it that way, “we shall see” takes on a whole new meaning. The phrase “we shall see” then becomes a literal statement, meaning we shall see what will happen next, what is around the corner, and we will look forward to our life’s adventures. When I take a moment to realize the literal meaning, I find an excitement about the future and my old friend “fear” will fade into the background.
Now how do we keep “we shall see” literal? I believe we just need to stay in the moment and be aware of the purpose of that thought and put it in the right perspective. WOW, if I could only do that all the time. I’m certain I’d be able to find my way to my intended purpose much more quickly and easily.
As is true with all human beings, I seem to find myself taking the hard way towards something more often than not… sigh! It’s as if I need to feel the pain, to believe we are worthy of any gain. I believe we, as human beings, oftentimes feel unworthy of an easy road or good fortune unless we put ourselves through a kind of hell with a price to be paid. Why is that? The fact is life isn’t easy at times. We oftentimes make it that much harder by trying to control everything that happens. I think that we could avoid a lot of wasted energies if we just enjoyed the journey of life and let go of things we can’t control.
I’m not saying bad things won’t happen, or we should abdicate responsibility and not work towards something that has a purpose and meaning, but to let go when we know we can’t control the outcome. We sometimes need to exercise patience, relax and just see where that unexpected direction takes us. What we might find is that the new direction or outcome is better than what we originally thought we wanted. At worst, it will ease the experience, good or bad. If we could do this, life would be much more of an adventure and less of a scary e-ticket ride.
What happened to my friend and me? Neither one of us was offered the job we had pined for. In both cases, not getting the desired job proved to be to our benefit. We continued to strive for something better. In both cases, we found our niche in areas that we now enjoy.
I would like to close with this. Even now, I will continue to work towards a purposeful endeavor, ever hopeful for a fulfilling outcome and then we shall see where it will take me. I will continue to look forward to what this day and the many days ahead will bring enjoying the ride along the way.
How do you view the phrase “we shall see?” What are your thoughts about living in the now?
Life’s journey continues…
If you enjoyed “We Shall See,” check out Fortune Cookie, Fear – A Four-Letter Word and Road Trip, Cat, A Little Faith.