It is one of those completely intangible, though equally essential elements that glide in and out of our entire lifetime.  It tests us every day, from the people with whom we communicate and the places we are trying to reach, to the tasks we are attempting to accomplish.  It cannot be given to us, and money will not buy it.  It’s not for sale, not now, not ever.  It isn’t taught in school, but it can be learned.  While there are those who don’t care about it, most of us would want to have more of it.  Some seem to just be born with it – we might call them “old souls”.   Others will never truly possess it.  While the sensible side of us knows how much easier our lives would be if we practiced it more often, the emotional side of us often prevails.  It’s one of those human characteristics that define our ability to control our words and actions.  It is called patience.

                Patience can be interpreted any number of ways, such as having the capacity to endure waiting and an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness without becoming anxious, angry or upset.    Waiting is a challenge, which could be described as living in a state of standby for something that is expected in the future, whether that’s five minutes from now,  off somewhere in the unforeseeable distance, or any time in between.

                Occasionally, we don’t even know what it is we are waiting for – maybe just for something that is different, better or more than what we have at this moment – but usually we know exactly what we are waiting for.  A perfect example would be waiting for a baby to be born, most especially during those last few, long weeks.  Throughout this seemingly endless time, maybe it is nature’s way of introducing or re-enforcing the significance of developing the art of patience.  After all, anyone who has experienced parenthood knows that, aside from love, patience is the most fundamental attribute a parent can possess.  Franklin P. Jones said, with humor and wisdom, “You can learn many things from children.  How much patience you have, for instance”.     Not only will children benefit tremendously from being nurtured with patience, they’ll likely emulate this quality as a result of their parents’ example.  It is a learned behavior, and having a good benchmark from day one will go a long way toward that effort. 

                Newborns instinctually react to their feelings – predominantly those of hunger, tiredness and physical comfort.  They quickly learn, however, that crying elicits being picked up and held, and parents are challenged with learning to distinguish which cries are for a genuine need and which are for attention.  Being able to differentiate between these requires patience, which is especially difficult when it’s 3:00 A.M. and the parents are exhausted.  As parents of newborns or young babies, the overwhelming inclination is to immediately respond to their cries, as you become accustomed to the individual expressions of these new creatures.  While picking up your baby for no other reason than to bestow comfort is ultimately gratifying for parents and babies alike, there comes a time when the babies will find contentment in other ways.  Probably the most familiar of these is a baby blanket, commonly known as a “blankie”, which quickly becomes an indispensable object of attachment.  Another possibility for babies to entertain or sooth themselves is with baby toys, especially if they’re brightly-colored, multi-shaped or make noises.  While practicing patience, waiting for your little miracle to arrive, envision the teaching opportunities ahead of you!