Reflection
Being patient is difficult. It is not just waiting until something happens over which we have no control: the arrival of the bus, the end of the rain, the return of a friend, the resolution of a conflict. Patience is not waiting passively until someone else does something. Patience asks us to live the moment to the fullest, to be completely present to the moment, to taste the here and now, to be where we are. When we are impatient, we try to get away from where we are. We behave as if the real thing will happen tomorrow, later, and somewhere else. Be patient and trust that the treasure you are looking for is hidden in the ground on which you stand.
Henri J. M. Nouwen
Prayer
May I develop a patient attitude,
Action
When you are waiting try to be aware of the moment in which you are living. Try to observe and experience the present moment.
Suggested Reading
Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.
Proverbs 14:29
But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Romans 8:25
Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them– every day begin the task anew.
Francis de Sales
Patience is not simply the ability to wait – it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.
Joyce Meyer
Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.
John Quincy Adams
We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world.
Helen Keller
The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.
Arnold H. Glasow
Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears.
Barbara Johnson