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 benefit, but because we’ve run out of patience for the night. What did previous generations do without melatonin? Maybe they read one or two more books, let their children cuddle a bit longer, or simply allowed them to cry themselves to sleep. In moments like these, I’m reminded of the wisdom in the old Chinese proverb: “Patience attracts happiness; it brings near that which is far.
” Would we allow ourselves an extra 20 minutes in the morning to fill our homes with the warm, comforting scent of freshly brewed coffee? If we knew the hesitant driver in front of us was our neighbor’s teenage child, would we offer them an extra 15 seconds to ensure their comfort and safety? And when it comes to air travel, take it from someone who’s logged over two million miles in the air: Patience often seems like a tall order, especially in the face of delays and disruptions. But when you consider the challenges airlines face, weather, mechanical issues, technology and myriad other factors impacting our safety, perhaps we can find it within ourselves to exercise patience and grace. There’s a profound truth in the saying, “One moment of patience may ward off great disaster.
One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life.” Impatience often leads to frustration, frustration leads to anger, and anger rarely results in anything positive. It clouds our judgment, stresses our bodies, and strains our relationships.
Patience, on the other hand, opens the door to understanding. Understanding brings calm, and calmness allows us to respond thoughtfully to life’s challenges. Patience isn’t about passivity or inaction; it’s about allowing things to unfold naturally.
It’s about understanding that not everything can be rushed without consequence. It’s about recognizing that good things often take time and that not every delay is an obstacle. Sometimes, waiting allows us to see things more clearly, make better decisions, and appreciate the process rather than just the outcome.
Want the news to come to you? Get the top stories in your inbox every morning. Sign up here: V ailDaily.com/newsletter We live in a world that constantly pushes us to move faster, do more, and achieve instant results.
But perhaps true wisdom lies in slowing down, savoring the moment, and finding contentment in the journey rather than just the destination. By practicing patience, we open ourselves up to happiness, understanding and a more meaningful, fulfilling life. So, the next time you feel impatience bubbling up, whether waiting in line, sitting in traffic, or dealing with a delayed flight, take a deep breath.
Remember that patience attracts happiness. Give yourself and those around you the gift of time and understanding. I would love to hear how your future self might thank you for this at gotonorton@gmail.
com . And when patience prevails, it really will be a better-than-good life..
