The patience shown in overcoming a serious setback or the resolve shown for achieving a long-term goal would in itself essay a virtue
Distraught, disheartened and disillusioned by a wait spanning an eternity in that quest for something meaningful and worthwhile in one’s life, it is not unusual to have people comforting one with those sage words of advice that things have a way of falling back into place with regard to human problems and situations all by themselves. But do they really!
A feeling that everything in one’s life is falling apart is best countered by an assertive response that we have it within us to reverse the situation and it only takes patience and a firm resolve to bring things back on track.
As a phrase believed to have originated from the poem “Piers Plowman,” written in 1360 by English poet William Langland, patience has however ceased to be a virtue in the present order of things, or so it seems.
The opinion that the effect of patience in many life equations is either negligible or harmful does appear palpable considering that there could not be anything more demoralizing than the ‘long wait’ after the seemingly best efforts put in fail to bring about the desired results.
What could be more disappointing than the thought that one’s sincerest efforts need to be coupled with an interminable wait to see light at the end of the tunnel! This is tantamount to the belief that one does not have any rights to the fruits of work as paraphrased in our Holy Texts.
The contention that as humans we are not always calm and collected as we navigate the unknowns in life seemingly justifies another post on this subject which would have us believe that patience is not about waiting, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.
“This too shall pass,” many feel, is that eternal conviction that sees one sailing through braving the ups-and-downs in life.
In a moment of introspection, after the moment passes, we then feel that our reaction to the situation was absolutely unwarranted and a bit of patience could have saved the day for everyone concerned.
Now I am left wondering whether this suggestion makes better sense!
An article that I chanced upon mentions that inculcating a patient outlook to happenings around us helps us maintain a calm demeanour. Sometimes the best things in life are not delivered to us instantly. Good things often take time, it says. Patience is the ability to stay calm while one is waiting for an outcome that one needs or wants. People perceive patience in different ways.
To a question as to whether patience is becoming a rare human trait, it was interesting to note some of the answers. A clinical associate feels that patience is not a trait but a tendency to either reason the delay or to be considerate of the purpose rather than the period when it comes to getting things done. ‘Trait’ he feels is something natural, a characteristic feature that is mostly inbuilt right from the birth, while a ‘tendency’ is something which is eventually developed over time as you grow.
But how can one overlook the suggestion that one’s patience is directly proportional to the time that one has at one’s disposal!
This probably describes the haste and impatience which characterizes the modern generation. Time is a rare commodity as far as the youngsters today are concerned. Take the chaotic traffic scenarios which are everyday occurrences in our country for instance! Getting out of the melee by ‘navigating the labyrinth’ best epitomizes our impatience in the given circumstances.
There are several other instances where our patience has been tested to the limits. The never-ending queues which have become a part of our daily lives whenever availing any services, private or public; the fidgeting around in clinics waiting for the receptionist to call out your name despite having an appointment to meet the doctor; well, there are numerous such examples!
In this rocket-age where people want things done in a jiffy, patience has been the biggest casualty. With frustration thus getting the better of us, the results have been disastrous. Delving a bit deeper into the intricacies of patience, I garnered some more interesting facts which makes the subject all the more engrossing.
The website “MindTools” informs that according to research by psychologist Sarah Schnitker, patience comes in three main varieties: interpersonal patience, life hardship patience, and daily hassles patience. Interpersonal patience is patience with other people, their demands and their failings. We often come across people who are slow learners, hard to understand, or even downright unreasonable. Or they may have bad habits that drive you crazy. Coping with people exhibiting these idiosyncrasies forms the crux of interpersonal patience. Life hardship patience on the other hand is that mental perception that we usually correlate patience with. No other term but ‘perseverance’ could aptly sum up this variety of patience.
The patience shown in overcoming a serious setback or the resolve shown for achieving a long-term goal, whether professional or personal, would in itself essay a virtue, a feature that allows one to be focused and motivated all through the crisis.
We are often miffed by simple happenings in life and lose our cool. One also needs patience to get through those dull but unavoidable day-to-day tasks that don’t necessarily contribute to one’s personal goals. “Life hassles,” according to the author! Impatience has its roots in frustration. The ability to maintain self-discipline and give a job – no matter how mundane – the attention to detail it needs is a hallmark of patience.
Right now though, I am losing my patience over the sweltering heat that has me pining for a few quick showers which could take a bite out of this energy-sapping ordeal!
