Patience is a virtue..., is it?
The two most powerful warriors are "patience" and "time" - Leo Tolstoy
Is patience (waiting for something without getting angry or upset) a 'virtue' or our inability to react, or our willingness to withstand the failure? There is a saying in Tamil which translates roughly as 'those who are patient will rule the world'. Is it correct? Or a ploy to make you not to get upset for not getting whatever you desired for?
To get something you wanted, it may take an appropriate time gap for that to get matured. So there is no point in getting agitated, if you do not get it as and when you want. That intervening time period is something which you need to wait for, to get the wholesome 'product' of your desire. It is known as the 'gestation' period. Patience is a skill we need to cultivate. It helps us overcome our anxiety and stress, which is really good for our health, as well. Those who experience the traffic snarls in metros will become patient, in due course!
When we sow a seed, we wait for a certain period, for getting the fruits, depending on the fruits. For some fruits we wait for one year and for some, we wait for several years. For example, a bamboo tree starts growing after about 5 years only and in about 6 months thereafter it grows to about 80 feet. We cannot give up anytime before the first 5 years, lest we cannot see the bamboo tree. On the contrary, a fern will grow within 2 to 6 months and may die in winter. Each and every species has got its own time duration to mature to its fullness.
So is the fact with child-birth. We have to wait for full 9 months after conceiving, to see the baby. For different animals, the gestation period is different. If we rush, what will happen?
There are situations beyond our control, when delay happens. We have to patiently wait and utilize the time usefully in some other productive activity. Most of the very successful persons have this trait. There is a joke to explain the effects of impatience. A couple had a serious argument and as a result of that they were not on talking terms. Three days passed; the ice was not broken. The wife finally said. "I will count 10 and if you do not talk by then, I will pack off to my parents' home". The husband got excited at the prospect! The wife started counting, 1, 2, 3...... 4, 5..... 6, 7, 8, 9.... and gave a gap. The husband's pulse was racing and he got impatient. He said, 'count, count, keep counting'. The wife got relieved and said, 'Good, you talked before I said 10; otherwise I would have gone off'. He paid the penalty for his impatience!
Take the case of an artist, an artiste, a sculptor, a designer. They cannot rush through their work. They have to pre-plan, design properly, execute meticulously to get the outcome as an outstanding product. Here patience is a real and essential virtue.
The moment you join a tennis camp, you cannot become a champion tennis player. It needs years of training, besides your innate skill. Same is the case with all other sports. You have to patiently wait till you attain certain level to participate in open competition.
But, we should also know, up to 'when and whether' to wait. When someone insults you, you cannot wait for eternity to react! You have to display your displeasure and register your feelings, then and there. But if you have to wait and teach the insulting person in a suitable way, you have to adopt that strategy.
There is absolutely no point in waiting, if we are not sure of the outcome. We should be able to assess the situation and decide whether to 'wait' or 'give up'.
To get something you wanted, it may take an appropriate time gap for that to get matured. So there is no point in getting agitated, if you do not get it as and when you want. That intervening time period is something which you need to wait for, to get the wholesome 'product' of your desire. It is known as the 'gestation' period. Patience is a skill we need to cultivate. It helps us overcome our anxiety and stress, which is really good for our health, as well. Those who experience the traffic snarls in metros will become patient, in due course!
When we sow a seed, we wait for a certain period, for getting the fruits, depending on the fruits. For some fruits we wait for one year and for some, we wait for several years. For example, a bamboo tree starts growing after about 5 years only and in about 6 months thereafter it grows to about 80 feet. We cannot give up anytime before the first 5 years, lest we cannot see the bamboo tree. On the contrary, a fern will grow within 2 to 6 months and may die in winter. Each and every species has got its own time duration to mature to its fullness.
So is the fact with child-birth. We have to wait for full 9 months after conceiving, to see the baby. For different animals, the gestation period is different. If we rush, what will happen?
There are situations beyond our control, when delay happens. We have to patiently wait and utilize the time usefully in some other productive activity. Most of the very successful persons have this trait. There is a joke to explain the effects of impatience. A couple had a serious argument and as a result of that they were not on talking terms. Three days passed; the ice was not broken. The wife finally said. "I will count 10 and if you do not talk by then, I will pack off to my parents' home". The husband got excited at the prospect! The wife started counting, 1, 2, 3...... 4, 5..... 6, 7, 8, 9.... and gave a gap. The husband's pulse was racing and he got impatient. He said, 'count, count, keep counting'. The wife got relieved and said, 'Good, you talked before I said 10; otherwise I would have gone off'. He paid the penalty for his impatience!
Take the case of an artist, an artiste, a sculptor, a designer. They cannot rush through their work. They have to pre-plan, design properly, execute meticulously to get the outcome as an outstanding product. Here patience is a real and essential virtue.
The moment you join a tennis camp, you cannot become a champion tennis player. It needs years of training, besides your innate skill. Same is the case with all other sports. You have to patiently wait till you attain certain level to participate in open competition.
But, we should also know, up to 'when and whether' to wait. When someone insults you, you cannot wait for eternity to react! You have to display your displeasure and register your feelings, then and there. But if you have to wait and teach the insulting person in a suitable way, you have to adopt that strategy.
There is absolutely no point in waiting, if we are not sure of the outcome. We should be able to assess the situation and decide whether to 'wait' or 'give up'.
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