C-19: Imperfect Patience
/I was on a large Zoom meeting a few days ago and one of the participant’s children joined in to a conversation about what we had learned about ourselves while sheltering in place. The ten year old boy shared that he had learned that he was more patient than he knew because he was able to share toys with his sister and brother and wait his turn to play video games, even though it was hard. He looked a bit delighted with himself, and all of us adults were delighted in him, too.
We all have a Super hero side.
The boy’s answer gives us a few takeaways in approaching our own imperfect patience during this time:
He was able to observe when he demonstrated patience. He didn’t say his patience was global and constant; he implies that there were times pre-pandemic that it had been difficult to share toys or screen and now he could see himself doing it. He might also have challenges with sharing the bathroom or cleaning up with his siblings, but he is first focusing on where his patience is showing up. He does not demand an all or nothing approach to patience.
He is more patient than he knew. It is so compassionate to notice where we are growing in a quality or how we may have been operating by an old story that doesn’t fit.
He shares and waits even though it is hard. Yes, practicing patience doesn’t mean it is smooth or easy; it just means that we are working towards this quality.
By the way, imperfect patience (or any other quality) is the only kind that there is.
See you tomorrow.