Patience? Ahhh!!!!

Patience is a virtue, or so I’ve been told.  😉. Like gracefulness and a soft, melodious voice, patience as a virtue eluded me for much of my early life.  Today, it is much easier, but at times I still struggle with it.  I think acting with patience is definitely a skill that is learned over time.  For many young adults, that skill has not yet been learned.  I often tease my sons because they want instant gratification of their desires.  But I could probably extend that teasing to most of the people I know.  We all like our wishes granted  as soon as possible, don’t we?

The reality is that being patient is difficult.  It’s something with which everyone struggles.  Just consider all of the platitudes we know about patience:  “Good things come to those who wait” and “the two most powerful warriors are patience and time” (Leo Tolstoy) come to mind.  I even remember a children’s song from a record we owned that directed “Have patience. Don’t be in such a hurry.”  These and many others are meant to encourage us to find self-restraint.

So why should we listen?  Does being patient actually serve us in a positive way?  I believe it does.  I’m sure that each of us wants something that we don’t yet have.  Perhaps its a new job, an acceptance to a university, a medical breakthrough or an announcement that we won an election.  Maybe you are waiting to hear the results of an exam or to see a loved one that has been away.  Each of those instances is challenging.  You probably wanted to be done yesterday!  That’s not how life usually works, though, is it?  There is often a period of waiting that is necessary before the ‘good thing’ comes our way.

How can you approach the wait calmly and without stress (or too much stress anyway)?  For me, it involves finding plenty of distractions.  Staying busy with other projects always helps me as I wait.  In some cases, like those of you who are waiting and wondering about that next big step at work or school, you can throw yourself into doing your very best in class or on the projects in your current job.  

In my experience, being patient provides us with opportunities to focus on other aspects of our life.  In so doing, we might just find that there are many great things happening that we might have missed if we just jumped into a new reality instead of waiting for a time.  I’m not sure if it is all humans or just me, but when I am intently focused on what I want, I tend to lost sight of what I already have.  Being forced to wait on my wants actually serves me well.  I am thankful for the moments in which I have to exercise patience.  That doesn’t necessarily make waiting easier, but it does help me maintain a a positive perspective about the wait.

So if you are feeling a lack of patience today, channel that emotion into something positive.  Consider all of the great things you already have in your life.  Look for ways to enjoy the moment and maintain a firm belief that great things are headed your way.  You just have to be patient!  😜