PATIENCE

I had lunch with a friend today. We had planned in advance so we would have enough time to enjoy lunch and the time together. As we were leaving the restaurant there was a group of 8 women asking if they could be served immediately and quickly because they had a meeting to attend.

We live in an age of instant communication, instant food and even instant entertainment. We have come to expect everyone to respond instantly to our requests. Using the word patience is as outdated as sending a letter or baking a cake without a mix. Having said that I must also add without patience we will never be happy. We have many adults who are unhappy who never learned to be patient. It shows in their driving, how they treat others and their attitude.

Children don’t mature without patience. We see so many children today that are labeled ADD who are just bored or easily distracted. They live in a world of watching the shows or movies they want when they want (recorded on DVD) without advertisements. Games give instant rewards to keep them mesmerized and distracted from life.

Patience isn’t just waiting for something to happen. It is persistence towards a goal. We can wait for a holiday or we can prepare for the holiday. The preparation makes the holiday so much more enjoyable. Learning to read takes staying power and endurance for a child. Just waiting for it to make sense will mean the child will never enjoy learning.

As an adult we need to also have patience. A few months ago I started an exercise program. I found myself tired and wondering if I was pushing myself too hard. Now, months later I have found that the steady consistent work has paid off. I am enjoying my exercise and don’t feel the same exhaustion when the work ends. Staying with something worthwhile does pay off in the end.