Waiting: A Time to See Possibilities

The greatest detective to never live, Sherlock Holmes, was created out of discontent, the discontent that commonly accompanies waiting. 

 In the preface of The Complete Sherlock Holmes, Christopher Morley expressed the following: “A blessing, then on those ophthalmic citizens who did not go to that office at 2 Devonshire Place, near Harley Street, where in 1891 Dr. A. Conan Doyle set up consulting rooms as an eye specialist. It was there, waiting for the patients who never came, that he began to see the possibilities in Sherlock Holmes.” 

I imagine Doyle in his newly established practice sighing as he surveyed his reception area and feeling satisfied that everything looked in order. He had done it. He had completed his education. Passed all of the necessary exams. Furnished his office and hung his business shingle by his door. He had achieved his goal and was ready for success. All he had to do was wait. And wait…

As he waited and as he staved off fear and disappointment, maybe he perused newspapers and periodicals. Maybe he reconnected with old friends by writing letters. Or, maybe he grew physically restless and rearranged his desk, books, and medical instruments. Perhaps he even took on a project and repaired a piece of furniture, repainted a wall, or mastered the violin. Eventually, he looked at a clock or calendar and questioned what he was doing with his time.  

He asked that very basic and meaningful question: What am I doing? And that’s when he redirected his efforts and stopped looking for ways to putz around, and instead looked for possibilities that were engaging and gratifying. He looked inward and created and learned. He conjured a character based on people who influenced him, and he learned about writing fiction, publishing, and the business side of literature. He learned that his lackluster career as an eye doctor was exactly what he needed to become a phenomenal mystery writer.

Much like Holmes became a role model for detectives and forensic scientists, Doyle has become a role model for me when I feel discontent while waiting.  

Sherlock once explained to Watson, “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.’  

It is impossible for this waiting, fear, and uncertainty to last forever. And it is impossible to squelch my desire to grow and contribute. So, although it may seem improbable that I can become a better version of myself during these difficult times, it is, by Sherlock’s logic, the truth. 

With that truth in mind, I am going to Doyle-up and investigate the possibilities. They truly are all around me. Registering and participating in a college class, a professional development workshop, a career certification program, or a community education course are all at my fingertips. New things to learn. New problems to solve. New people to meet.  

“The game is afoot,” said Sherlock, and I’m going to play!