Is Patience An Active Verb
Posted: Thursday, July 21, 2011
by Susan Thom
In order to acquire the peace it takes to stay calm in any given situation, one must think fast, and think hard. Is something worth our getting upset over? Can we think of a better way to handle what we are about to say or do, or both? And do we even care? Sometimes life beats us down to a point of oblivion that shuts the rest of the world out. We function, and mingle, but we are never far from our thoughts and away from absorbing any conversation or outside influences.
I am not a doctor, these are just my thoughts on conditions I have gone through, and I knew it was stress. How? Because when the stressful situation was over, I was okay again, and feeling fine. For quite some time now I have been working on ways of thinking and acting that still the waters, instead of flaming the fires. It isn't easy, unless I guess, if you always were calm and patient and helpful and at peace with yourself and the world around you. I needed to concentrate, really focus "is this going to sound antagonistic?"
"Get your feet off the coffee table" can sound hostile and argumentative. "Honey, would you please keep your shoes off the coffee table? We want to make sure it lasts," really doesn't leave room for opposition. Knowing what to say and what time to say it is very important to the sanctity of our minds, hearts, and souls.
Words of patience can avoid arguments and unnecessary name calling and sometimes, physical violence. Two people working together may not know how to express themselves, thereby letting their anger build, until they blow, and the fists start flying. Two cars collide and the two drivers are angry and don't know how to express how they are feeling, so they start swearing at each other, and punching with those fists.
Patience allows your brain to know it was an accident, it will be an inconvenience while the cars are being fixed, there may be some financial burden, but no one got hurt, and life goes on. No patience is a whole other story. There would be yelling and screaming and possibly hitting, and in some circumstances, killing. I believe one of the reasons people feel so superior is that they were always waited on hand and foot, and as adults, expect the same treatment. I've seen it happen. Parents putting aside their time and their life, to appease the little ones, only for them to grow into spoiled brats, with not an ounce of patience. What do we do when we can't sleep? Do we toss and turn, keep smacking the mattress, or do we know to get up, do something productive, even if it's to watch a good movie or TV? Patience!
If we build on our inner strength by shedding layers of unwanted baggage, it will be easier for us to stay calm. Our composure can only be that of least resistance if we have nothing churning away inside ourselves. Most of us don't get off easy in Life. It is hard, and there is work on ourselves that needs to be done. If we don't realize this, we usually live a very tense, uneasy life, and don't get along with too many people. What a waste. Some people have no clue that this work exists, or that they need it. Others don't want to get involved with a lifelong process. Some are just plain lazy, and then there are still many who don't think they need any help. If you want to know if you lack patience, try to monitor yourself. If the CD in the car is skipping, and you are swearing obscenities and swerving back and forth as you pound on the face of the player, you need to learn some patience.
How many of us get impatient when the car in front of us doesn't go on green? Where in the hell are we going that this person, who has also waited for this light, and knows they can't go until it changes, does whatever they are doing, and realizes the light turned green. I'm all for a light tap on the horn, but to become enraged is stupid. Our world is falling apart in front of our eyes, and we're going to worry about a fifty second delay in our day? Patience! It helps keep us healthy, wealthy, and wise.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Yes Susan "patience" is the secret, we must have patience in this crazy world of ours. Good articlePlease log in to respond to this comment.hi david,
thanks for reading and commenting.
i see people getting upset over the littlest things,
when the world is literally falling apart.
we need to be helping to keep it together,
my best to you,
suePlease log in to respond to this comment.
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