Patience is More Than a Virtue

Have you ever a day when instant coffee isn't quite fast enough...tea can't steep soon enough and you are just feeling like all you are doing is waiting for things to happen?  The famous saying of Patience Is A Virtue I feel understates just how difficult being patient can be, and how much strength it takes to be patient.
Try as I might to remain present in the moment, I would be lying if I didn't admit to having times when all I can do is think to the next step, next goal, next place I want to be...and then start to feel impatient while I work on getting "there".  I know that I am potentially missing out on things that are happening around me while I step on tip toe and look ahead...but there are just some times when I cannot help myself.
I was thinking about this a lot today, as my commute forced me to be patient.  Subway snarls, long commuter line ups and the like all took the control to hurry away from me, and forced me to be still.  And it was hard, but it absolutely made me realize that I need to settle into things and be patient right now, and not just on the TTC ride to and from work.  My chiropractor reminded me this morning of this fact as well, that sitting in discomfort is the step that takes place right before something amazing happens.  And she is right.  When I think back about all of the progress and movement I have had in my life, there is usually a period of discomfort, struggle and a sense of being on a plateau with what I want just out of reach and potentially feeling out of my control.
So, keeping all of this in mind, I will be intentional in being patient.  I will force myself to sit in discomfort, to wait for the next stage to open up, and I will embrace this ability to be still and present, and instead of focusing on what lies ahead I will instead focus on the discipline that I am developing in the here and now.

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