In the port at the entrance to the Capital City on Andros

As I’m traveling so much these days, patience is a key part of my journey and I notice that like attracts like. I feel so blessed to see the results of my practice and to feel it everywhere I go. Love is always patient.
A life well lived contains an infinite supply of patience. I can easily recall years ago when I had very little patience. I spent a lot of my time in annoyance, frustration, judgment, complaining, criticism, anger and hurt. Ugh. It was no way to live. In my daily travels I see lack of patience everywhere. It is always easy to spot because lack of patience looks and feels painful. In line at the store, the woman who has to wait 3 minutes for her cappuccino is annoyed and frustrated because she has no patience. She leaves the store in a huff, but not without first inflicting everyone else in the store with her lack of patience. In the parking lot, the man who cannot wait peacefully for 15 seconds while someone backs out of their spot nearly causes an accident, blares his horn, startles people and creates a wave of violent feeling anger as he passes by. I’ve been that person. I remember what it felt like to live that way.

My mother used to quote St. Augustine who said, “The reward of patience is patience.” Few words ring more true than those. My commitment to practicing patience in the small inconveniences has given me the capacity to build the strength to have patience in the deeply challenging situations. Every day I am grateful for my ability to practice patience. Every day I reap the rewards.