The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily 1434: Waiting for the Call I Am by Wyatt Townley
Jan 14, 2026
Explore the emotional weight of waiting in everyday life, likening it to a state of purgatory. Delve into the discomfort of being in liminal spaces, where hope battles fear, and despair can creep in unexpectedly. Experience Wyatt Townley's poignant poem, which captures the anguish of waiting for a phone call. This reflection on the physical and mental toll of anticipation brings to light how deeply our emotions are intertwined with the act of waiting.
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Waiting As Liminal Purgatory
- Waiting functions as a bardo, a liminal purgatory between states of being.
- In that space we swing between hope and fear, making waiting mentally and physically exhausting.
Concrete Examples Make Waiting Visible
- Specific examples make waiting's strain visible: test results, jury deliberations, and calls after disasters.
- These situations intensify alternation between reassurance and dread in the waiting mind.
Metaphors Reveal Waiting's Physical Toll
- Metaphors for waiting (treading water, pins and needles, tenterhooks) emphasize its bodily toll.
- Maggie Smith notes waiting's physical strain arises from the mind's oscillation between extremes.
