It’s no secret that we live in an age of instant gratification. Over the past few years, impatience has taken the top spot on the bad human behavior chart. As a society, our expectations for immediate results have overshadowed our ability to live with reason and perspective.
We want what we want, and we want it now. But what is this rush doing to us? What are we sacrificing in the name of speed and convenience? Let’s consider some everyday examples. The Keurig isn’t brewing coffee fast enough.
The person driving in front of us won’t pull out into traffic as quickly as we would. A scheduled 3.5-hour flight feels like it’s taking too long, and we wonder why they can’t just fly faster.
We forget how long it used to take to brew a pot of coffee and how the aroma would fill the house, making every second of waiting worthwhile. We forget the care we took when teaching our children to drive, encouraging them to prioritize safety over speed, urging them to disregard the rude, impatient driver behind them. Have our memories faded so quickly? Once upon a time, a road trip from Denver to the East Coast could easily take 30 hours of driving.
Now, we complain about a 3.5-hour flight, forgetting the luxury of air travel and the gift of time saved. Or think about our fitness goals: We start a workout regimen and a new diet, but when we don’t see results in two weeks, we give up.
Our children won’t fall asleep fast enough, so we feed them melatonin gummies, not for their bene.