The Waiting Room Companion: Calm for appointments and anxious lobbies

June Alderwood

The clock on the wall moves slower than it should, and every name called sends a small jolt through the room. This is steady company for that stretch of time: how to settle a racing mind before it runs ahead to worst cases, breathing patterns that work even in a chair with armrests, small ways to occupy shaky hands, and a way of thinking about waiting itself that makes it easier to bear. Calm, patient, and glad to sit with you.