Patience, The Art of Intelligent Waiting

“Adopt the pace of nature: Her secret is patience.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

Life unfolds in spite of our impatience. The misfortune of it is that because of our impatience we don’t fully appreciate the joy and beauty of watching it unfold. And then there’s all the stress and discontentment along the way.

Especially today, with the rapid pace of modern life, lowering the level of impatience could help reduce a lot of the world’s stress. It is fortunate then that many of life’s experiences teach us that patience is possible. The impatience of youth, for instance, at last becomes patient because adulthood finally arrives. The impatience of the artist becomes patient because art is created. Driving in traffic becomes patient because the destination is finally reached.

Impatience, however, can have great costs. How much has impatience in people’s lives led to things that could have been but never were: a true friend lost because five minutes of conversation could not be spared; poor marks in school because of a lack of attention to instructors and instructions; immeasurable and uncountable opportunities gone by the wayside because judgment, anger and anxiety among other byproducts of impatience prevented people from ever knowing they existed.

Next — Art of Intelligent Waiting

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Michael H.

6:42PM PDT on May 4, 2013

Jane B. You might consider switching to decaf.

May 4
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Diana K.

10:55AM PDT on Apr 21, 2012

Jane, I am sorry you are suffering. A friend said to me when I was experiencing something similar: time heals all wounds; but, even better, time Wounds All Heels. Now that is very smart a-- thing to say but I hope it brings you a smile. However, both are variants on patience which is way different from submission. Patience is a conscious awareness of what IS in the here and now, allowing for self to align; it is Active and Positive.

April 21
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Pat W.

10:26PM PDT on Mar 31, 2012

Interesting outlook.

March 31
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Nimue P.

7:34PM PDT on Mar 31, 2012

"Patience: the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious". Good luck with that :)

Mary B.

7:03PM PDT on Mar 31, 2012

If you learned patience, Jane, you wouldn't have anything to say.

Jane B.

1:31PM PDT on Mar 30, 2012

Patience waiting in line is NOT what is taught in our society. In our society WOMEN are taught PATIENCE but MEN are not. Our male dominated, CATHOLIC/CHRISTIAN/NAZI heiriarchy teaches that WOMEN must SUBMIT, be HOLES and BREEDERS and SLAVES to MEN. Women are taught to be PATIENT, FORGIVE, HANG IN THERE AND TAKE CARE OF MEN WHEN THEY GET OLD AND SICK!!! That is WOMEN'S DUTIES!!! But MEN get to USE WOMEN UP AND DUMP THEM FOR A YOUNGER ONE! MEN DON'T HAVE TO BE PATIENT, THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE, THEY CAN BE NEWT GINGRICH!

March 30
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heather g.

11:27PM PDT on Mar 29, 2012

When it is part of a people's culture to be a slow and inefficient - you simply have to be patient.
Although I'm retired now, I still find myself thinking (as I spend 45 minutes waiting on the phone) - "This waste of time and inefficiency is really bad for the economy."
If one focuses on one's goal, it's easier to be patient....

March 29
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JosÃƒÂ¯Ã‚Â¿Ã‚Â½ M.

2:16AM PDT on Mar 29, 2012

Thanks for sharing this interesting article

Shirley E.

11:20AM PDT on Mar 28, 2012

It's good to foster patience and it's something I've tried to do, but people who tell interminably long, rambling stories and buttonhole people who are evidently busy and trying to get stuff done should also learn that that behaviour is also something to be worked upon. Good conversation is shared, not monopolised by one party.

March 28
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Harsha V.

10:26AM PDT on Mar 28, 2012

I remember a doctor preaching patience to one of his patients (medical). The patient was getting restless about slow improvements. The doctor replied - "If you don't develop patience, you would remain a patient"