We Commend Those Who..

“All men commend patience, although few are willing to practice it,” said by Thomas Kempis is a realization to most that patience is a difficult trait to acquire and apply to a daily activity. People are grateful and pleased when they encounter a patient being because a majority of society can not supply or simply do not understand the art of patience.

Patience is having the even-tempered mindset that is capable of bearing annoyance, misfortune, or pain without complaining or sulking. A persistent man gives his time up to help others, whether physically by moving around a few boxes or verbally by listening to someone vent or rant about quandaries or mentally by waiting for someone to arrive or make a decision. Patience is commended and applauded and admired by society, but not many are willing to actually be patient themselves. They are not motivated to become patient or practice their ability to be patient because, when it comes down to it, they are selfish.

A man loves to be waited on. They wait for dinner to be serves, wait for the house to be cleaned, wait for someone to listen to their thoughts. But when someone is not there to do those things and someone asks them for a flower, they suddenly have a “very, very important phone call to make” or a “championship game to watch.”

People do not want to be passive and assist to others or listen to other’s problems. Most want someone to please them but when the roles are reversed, they suddenly have no patience and decide they are too occupied with their life to help out. A majority of the human population are impatient, egotistic people who adore when others are patient and caring to them but decide they are “too good” for patience themselves. What a thoughtful world we live in.

The Art of Living

Henry Ellis has shared, “All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.” Life has its struggles and hardships and predicaments that obscure a vision of one’s future. When faced with a setback, a weight is lifted onto our shoulders and stresses us out from our normal, daily routines.

There’s a certain, understood moment of time about when to let go and forget about the situation and go on with one’s life and not worry. These are the dilemmas where, in the future, it will be irrelevant and forgettable. Such as the choice of food that a day or a fight with a peer.

On the other hand, a hitch in which the future will be affected is one to hold onto. Picking a major for college, or even choosing a college, is a choice that requires time and thought.

The writer is explaining that “living” life is excelled through the choices of letting go of one idea and holding onto another. In any quandary one comes across, the freedom to keep the problem and work it out over time or dismiss it and move forward is always an option, always a choice. Weighing how important the circumstance is, should be asked when it begins to affect the present, one’s attitude, one’s life. Will quarreling with a peer make a difference twenty years from now when we’re off living our own life? I highly doubt that.

Patience at its Finest

Thomas Fuller once said, “Abused patience turns to fury.” When patience is taken advantage of and reused over and over again, the one carrying all the patience breaks slowly. The wall of patience held within slowly begins to crumble from all the beatings and carvings everyone takes from them. Thomas Fuller claimed patience can be achieved but only for a certain amount of time before that careless use by others dwindles the composure set up and leads to anger. That anger is impatience trying to break through. Patience grows tired of being applied every so often and wears down with each use of it. Most people, however nice and friendly, tend to slip on their patience because they are weary with the constant “I need you to..” and the “Do me a favor…” and the “Pretty please…” “With sugar on top? Sure I will,” the patient man would reply yet again.

Being assertive does not imply having to be rude or impassive, it means being confident and speaking up for oneself. Everyone has their needs and wishes but there are some that ask for them quietly and not often. They would rather assist someone else than themselves and that is a wonderful person but there is a breaking point, and everyone just needs a little help.

Relating to this quote, I have learned to speak up about my personal needs more and not let people walk all over me with their wants. I have learned that when holding patience in for so long and routinely being asked to assist someone with something, the patience drifts away and in its place is fatigue and irritation. The irritation and fury from using patience daily is the effect and no one should be abused for putting others first. Patience is a quality with limited use.