The value of patience

Today I was reminded of the value of patience which is not a quality which has come easily to me! And yet I now recognise that there is so much kindness in patience towards ourselves and others – allowing the time that is needed for each one to go at their own pace. With patience, we don’t rush or try to force growth. With patience, we don’t chastise ourselves or another for being too slow. With patience, we don’t impose our own agendas on natural timings.

Patience seems to include a respect for the way life is. We don’t stand in the garden and get irritated with how long a flower is taking to open. We might be curious if it is later than we thought. We might wonder if the flower needs some extra nourishment or a change of position into a place that suits the growth better. We could bring this same attitude to ourselves and others. Would that not be an attitude of kindness?