Quality Is Worth the Wait

I recently got the new Peter Gabriel album, Up. I like it very much. It's classic Peter Gabriel, but it shows that he hasn't been ignoring music since his last album.

Which is particularly good, since his last album, Us, came out in 1992.

The album before that (not counting soundtrack work), So, came out in 1984. That means he's doing an album about every 9 or 10 years. Normally, you'd think that would be a terrible mistake. Ten years is enough time to lose an entire fan base. Most singers' whole careers don't last 10 years.

But you know what? Every album's been really good. Really, really good.

I realized when I listened to Up that it had been worth the wait. So had the others. If having these good albums meant having to wait 9 to 10 years, that was okay. Whatever it takes.

I think I regularly apply that ideal to many aspects of life. I'd rather wait and have a nice, well-prepared dinner with friends than gulp down something quick standing up in my kitchen. I'd rather wait and be surprised by a book or a movie than have it spoiled by reading a review ahead of time.

I've seen a lot of things ruined by people being in a rush. But good things are worth the wait.