7 Literary Meditations for the Long Lines at San Diego Comic-Con

San Diego Comic-Con is upon us, and with it, the season of sneak peeks, swag, and epic lines. Stay the course as you wait in line with these meditations from authors and thinkers about the value of patience, waiting, and persistence.

Think, think, think about this one. Pooh Bear is about as zen as it gets when it comes to handling what life in the Hundred Acre Wood tosses his way. The end of the line will come, as all lines are going somewhere. 

One of the wittier founding fathers, Benji had the right idea here. Have you ever watched as someone told a story about patience? Have you seen the awe and admiration of the listeners? The nerve and enduring spirit to persist in struggle is a rare and powerful thing. That kind of power can get you almost anywhere in life (even into Hall H).

Mr. Dactylic Hexameter himself, coming at you with a radical notion of patience. Often we think of waiting as something passive, or something we are forced to do by nature or other people. If patience is a conquering, powerful virtue, then it is strength and dominance. It is the difference between you and those who didn’t bring sleeping bags or a well-stocked snack bag. 

What are you waiting for? Who are you waiting with? Why? Considering these questions, and paying attention to the world around you (not just your phone) can help you take a mindful, thoughtful approach to waiting in line.

It’s hour 2 of waiting for that panel. The person in front of you is still playing games on their phone with the volume up. The group behind you won’t shut up about their OTP (your NOTP). Have patience. Be calm. In a deeply morbid, slightly metaphysical way, we’re all heading to the same place eventually. This too shall pass.

If you are having trouble facing down doubts about the line and your patience to endure it, think of time and patience as your own personal warriors. If you want to defeat the line and go on to enjoy that panel, these are the two trained soldiers that will win you that opportunity. 

At its root, waiting is about hope. We wait for something because we look forward to it, we long for it, and we are excited to see it happen. Waiting to hear back about an application. Waiting to level up in that game. Waiting to hit a PR at the gym. Waiting for our line buddy to get back so we can go to the bathroom. We wait because we are hopeful, and hope is a positive, wonderful thing.

Waiting is one of the few true universal human experiences; it connects us and unites us in both the physical and the metaphysical, in both the queue and the universe (queuniverse?). Have faith that you are strong enough for the line, and you shall prevail. And hey, now’s a great time to chat with new friends and talk about what great swag and panels they’re excited to check out. 

Happy waiting!