To everything there is a season...

Patience and Perseverance

“Sometimes things aren't clear right away. That's where you need to be patient and persevere and see where things lead.” Mary Pierce

Patience is not my strong suit. I tend to want to “do” rather than “be.” But sometimes, when there is something that must be done, I equivocate and procrastinate and remain ambivalent. At times, that is because what needs to be done is something I don't like doing—like mowing the grass. But often, it's because there is a niggling question in the back of my mind that causes me to hesitate. Something in me wants to 'wait and see.' It's not comfortable. I'd rather be decisive. That American ideal, “Get it done!” is imbedded in my DNA.

Remember that series of verses in Ecclesiastes? “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens...” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) Well, it's true. In my youth, I didn't have the patience to wait until the time was right. That impatience almost always blew up in my face. Nowadays, I try to bear the discomfort long enough for the choice to be obvious. Impatience is like a river at flood stage; all sorts of things are floating in it, both on top, and underneath. Things I can see, and things I can't see. If I jump in then, I'll likely drown. But if I can be patient and wait for the river to calm and all the sediment to settle, then I can see the bottom and know what I'm getting into.

My mother used to say to me, “Jane, patience is a virtue.” But, she cited so many virtues I obviously didn't possess, that I stopped listening. I had to learn my lessons the hard way. But, my mother was right—patience and perseverance are virtues worth cultivating. When you hesitate and equivocate, it may just be your better angels whispering in your ear to 'wait and see.'

                                                   In the Spirit,

                                                        Jane