Start Trying Patience
Grant U. Succor
We need immediate gratification. Someone has to quickly respond to our texts; we become fidgety when our Internet pages don't load quickly; we can't wait for humor—it must happen in seven seconds or less. I understand how we got here—that's not really the problem: Technology is great. However, there are many consequences to a life of immediate gratification. Perhaps the biggest loss, as an individual and as a society, is patience.
I remember when I had patience. There were fewer moments in the day when frustration crept into my life: waiting in line, waiting for food, waiting for my turn to speak, waiting for people to show up—a lot of waiting. I can't seem to wait anymore. However, patience is more than waiting for things to happen for you.
Patience is also a component to enjoyment. Today, it seems that we rarely spend the time to appreciate something—to assign value. We used to enjoy meals over several courses; we used to listen to an entire album of music and appreciate and accept its flaws and creativity; we used to invest more effort into our work; we used to care.
Maybe that's the real problem: We don't seem to care anymore. Not care in the sense that we feel emotion toward something, but care in the sense of an investment of time. We used to take care in our work, in our hobbies, in our passions; now we just rush from one hastily completed moment to the next. You don’t rush passion; you savor it.
A successful life requires patience. It requires us to invest focused time on something in order to appreciate things despite their flaws. That's what friendship is, that's what love is. How can any of us expect to find happiness with someone if we can't be patient, accept him or her despite the flaws, and truly appreciate that person? Patience leads to better results and better understanding. It leads us to foster a love and deep appreciation for music, art, literature, food, education, sports, work, eachother—life.
I encourage you all to start trying patience—with situations, with others, and even with yourself. It'll be okay. Don't worry. Things might take a little longer, but you might discover something new about yourself, or someone you love.
I remain yours truly,
Grant U. Succor
