Patience is a virtue

Today I wish to focus on a very simple virtue; it’s not even a virtue but just a quality or a part of one’s behavior – Patience!

We are living in the times of instant gratification. The 2 minute, not just noodles but any food even butter chicken or parathas that only need to be micro waved and had. We are living in the Wi-Fi zones and the moment they grow weaker we get panicky. Our children need things as soon as they ask us. In fact most of us want it ‘yesterday’. Today is already late!

This need for instant gratification is playing havoc not only in our lives but also our internal systems. I see a lot of people getting into depression, the age for it becoming smaller and smaller. Even young children are getting affected. Unchecked it leads to behavioral disorders during the school and college days. Just imagine going through such attacks when one is just opening up to life; taking medication for the same. Not a pleasant experience at all.

As a mother I do notice how my children display impatience and have seen the same among student groups. Why separate young people its common among grownups too. I saw a couple break into a horrible fight at a public place the other day and the incident made me think. The lifestyle has a tremendous impact on our thoughts and behaviors. The biggest reason for such outbreaks I could feel is the lack of patience. We are impatient period! We just cannot wait, we have forgotten what the word actually means.

Patience is not just the ability to wait but it’s how we behave while we're waiting.

Life is all about loving, caring, sharing and waiting. This was all the part of the large families or joint families that we lived in. Patience was but natural as there was a demand for everything one wanted. Imagine the morning wait outside the bathroom, when we look back it does bring back some smiles but that did teach some big virtues too. Those life skills learned have such a strong impact on what we do with our lives as we grow up.

Even the happiest life cannot be without a measure of darkness. Would happiness have any meaning if it was not balanced by sadness? It is far better to take things as they come along with patience and calmness. The stress that we take over things not happening that moment is totally not worth it! All things are difficult before they actually become easy, isn’t it? Can patience be adhered to as a natural virtue?  By all means a big Yes!! Patience defines one’s attitude.

For anything worth having one must pay the price; and the price is always hard work, self discipline, sleepless nights, sacrifice and above all patience. It is simple but not easy. Simple things always manifest into great wisdom and sense of fulfillment. With these thoughts, I am certainly going to make patience a part of my life and inculcate the same in my children. Taking it then with my students, I can visualise the results already. It can certainly handle the stress, aggression, depression and many complexes that are so dominant these days. Let there be happiness around.

“He that can have patience can have what he will.” 
― Benjamin Franklin

From my column

PS: Pictures are taken from Google for illustrations, with due credits, if anyone has any objection, kindly let me know they'll be removed promptly.