Today we ask that you have patience.
It is said that patience is a virtue. But most people do not really believe this.
Many people believe that you need to scream and complain to get anything done. The minute you experience a feeling of impatience, it’s time to shout and complain to get things moving.
This is, of course, what little children do.
But these days many little children never outgrow this habit. Why would they, when they experience their parents’ continual impatience with the world? Children can only learn what they are shown.
You live in a remarkable time, in which information and entertainment are accessible at the touch of your fingers. You live in a time of overnight deliveries. Press a button, and almost whatever you desire is yours!
This is a wonderful power, and a gift. But like all gifts, it can be misused.
When “fast food” came into the world, it was hailed as a major breakthrough. At last, people didn’t have to waste time preparing food. It was plentiful, and cheap. It was only over time that its harmful effects became clear. As a response, the “slow food movement” began.
New things are intoxicating. But everything must have its place, and be in balance.
It is possible to be as gluttonous with information, entertainment, and overnight deliveries as it is with fast food.
Mainly, observe if these modern conveniences are having a corrosive effect on your overall patience level.
It is the natural flow of things that humans become more patient with age. Small children are very impatient, but as people mature and grow up, they cultivate the skill of patience.
If you feel like you are becoming less patient with age, notice this. If you feel like you are about at the same level of patience/impatience, and are not becoming more patient with time, notice this.
Being patient does not mean you are a doormat. It does not mean you won’t get what you desire.
Screaming and complaining will never get you what you truly want in life. It will only cause people to dislike and resent you, and will have harmful effects on your physical health.
Seeds need time to grow. You cannot hasten the growth of a seed by shouting at it. In fact, shouting at a seed will actually slow things down.
Using chemical fertilizers, or tampering with a seed’s genetic code in order to hasten growth will create long-term problems.
Be patient. Be patient.
Seeds can only grow so fast, and still be healthy.
If you wish to create something new in your life, it is wise to think of it like planting a seed.
Yes, you must water it and tend it and make sure it has good soil and light.
But mainly, you must patiently wait for the magic to happen.
What happens if you get impatient? You might do something very foolish, like checking on the seed’s progress by digging up the soil. You might damage or kill the seedling in doing so.
Yet this is precisely what so many people do. Like impetuous children, they cannot leave well enough alone. They must “check on progress,” and “manage the situation” — until they manage the situation right out of existence.
Parents can do harm to children by being impatient. Every child is unique, and must grow and learn at his own pace. Attempting to hasten the process to make sure one’s child is “keeping up with developmental markers” can backfire, and actually impede growth and learning in the long term.
So please cultivate patience in your life.
You will find that a patient attitude actually helps things to take far less time in the long run. Impatience will always waste your time, and make everything take longer.
wordfromthewell 