Sometimes the waiting is the reward

The 1981 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers song “The Waiting” proclaims, “The waiting is the hardest part.” But now it is 2026 and I have been thinking about how sometimes we don’t wait enough.

Amazon packages can take one day or even the same day in some areas. Entire television show seasons are released at one time. Many times, movie scripts, trailers, video game announcements and even our important personal data all leak on the internet. Younger readers, if you can believe this, photos actually used to have to be developed after you took them.

This is all purely indicative of technology and the leaps and bounds it has made over decades of time. But this instant gratification is also altering and quickening society’s pace as well as rewiring our brains to have less patience.

My favorite example is weekly watching versus binge watching television shows. I completely see the appeal of binge watching and am guilty of doing so myself. But what is lost are the watercooler moments of talking with friends or co-workers about it. When all are available from the start everyone is watching at different times, making in-person discussions almost impossible.

Another example is, as a movie buff, a movie release used to feel like an event. Trailers would come out months in advance and the audience could anticipate what is going to happen. Today with the internet, social media and aforementioned leaks, you could know the entire plot before you see the movie or in some cases, before it even comes out. Even a thumbnail photo on the internet can spoil something.

Think about the anticipation of Christmas morning as a kid. The closer it gets, the more excitement you feel. I sometimes wonder if part of the joy wasn't Christmas morning itself, but the anticipation leading up to it. Christmas morning is wonderful, but Christmas Eve could be argued is more special. Sometimes it is about the journey and not the destination.

A lot of us anticipate vacations this summer. Planning the vacation and feeling the excitement during the trip itself are very different feelings. Looking at maps, researching restaurants, making plans and counting down the days all become part of the experience before you ever leave home. By the time the vacation is over, you are already looking ahead to the next one. Part of the enjoyment came long before you ever packed a suitcase.

I believe we have become so accustomed to getting things instantaneously that we sometimes overlook the enjoyment we gain from anticipation.

Convenience and expediency are wonderful things, but anticipation has value as well and sometimes is a reward in itself.

Tom Petty has a point, but sometimes the waiting is better in the long run, unless you are trying to schedule a doctor's appointment or wait on an insurance company.