Patience is a virtue, they say, or at least William Langland, the English poet, did in 1360 when he wrote his poem, “Piers Plowman.” Today, patience does indeed seem to be a virtue, for it is something that as a society, we have forgotten to embrace.
As children, we are often impatient as we want the joys and experiences of life to happen immediately. However we are always being told to wait, be patient, allow others to go first, don’t push in, wait your turn. Depending on our personalities we either fight this, or learn to accept that life takes its’ time and we will eventually achieve our goals.
When I was growing up I learnt patience. I learnt to stay calm when there was a long queue in the shops or at the train station. I waited for my sisters to be served at dinner and we all took it in turns when we played games. That’s how life was. We didn’t question it.
But society has changed and we all expect everything to happen immediately. We send a text and expect an instant response. We get angry if the train is late, or we have to queue at the supermarket, and heaven help us if our computer breaks down, or the internet drops out.
Many of us have lost the ability to remain calm and have developed a sense of entitlement. Life has become a cacophony of ‘Me, Me, Me.’ We have forgotten how to be tolerant.
Patience is a virtue, they say and as a society we may feel that we have lost this. But it can be regained and sometimes we just need reminding that life doesn’t have to be lived on a treadmill. Things take time and that’s okay. We have a whole lifetime ahead of us if we stop and appreciate it.
Mindfulness is a wonderful way of staying in the now and regaining our focus. It just takes awareness and practice. Next time you notice yourself getting a bit anxious or edgy, ask yourself why? Take a few deep breaths and slow down. Does it really matter if you have to wait an extra five minutes at the shops? Can you give way to another car when you are stuck in traffic? Do you have to tear off as soon as the lights turn green?
Start with the little things. As you do this, it becomes easier when something big triggers you. Learning to calm down, lowers your cortisol and stress levels. Whereas always being impatient or agitated, only raises our ‘fight or flight’ response, which over time, impacts our health.
Creativity is another area where patience can be learned. When I was writing my book last year, I wanted it to be finished really quickly so that I could go ahead and have it published. But ideas take time to cultivate and the best ones come in spaces of quiet. The longer I took, the better the book became.
The same goes if you are drawing, or painting, or creating any piece of art. If you hurry the process, it rarely turns out as successful as when you spend time carefully crafting it.
So next time someone cuts in front of you in traffic, or you have to wait to be served in a shop or restaurant, or a painting just doesn’t seem to look right, take some time to pause. Is it really important to rush, or can you be patient? Most of the time, we can afford to wait.
Patience is a virtue, they say, but if we learn to cultivate it, we will lead much calmer, more resilient and happier lives.
With love,
Judy xxx
Disclaimer: Please note that all information in this article is the opinion of the author and obtained through her research and knowledge and the above references. It is not meant to replace medical advice and a medical opinion should always be obtained for any health condition.
References: https://www.yourdictionary.com/articles/who-said-patience-virtue. https://emindful.com/2020/01/13/developing-patience. Photo by Congerdesign on Pixabay