Patience – the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like; an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay; the ability to control your emotions or impulses and proceed calmly when faced with difficulty.
Patience does not come easily to most of us. It must be developed.
Patience is contentment: the ability to dwell in the moment and be at peace with what is. Buddhist teachings say that suffering is a by-product of wishing that things were other than they are. Patience is sitting in the moment, fully immersed in what is before us… even if it is screaming toddlers or snippy teens.
Childish impatience leads to a rush to get the answer before thinking through the question. This happens with children and adults alike. We often jump to conclusions before we have finished fully reading a post. We speak in sound bytes, throwing full sentences to the wind.
A warrior teaches and fosters patience.
We need to stress patience, critical thinking, and delayed response in our learning environments. We need to foster deep and meaningful contemplation. We need to cultivate extended attention to subjects and art forms, revealing the nuances and details that are missed to the casual, rushed students of life. Just because you “look” does not mean you have “seen.”
Patience leads to gratitude. Gratitude leads to joy.
A Warrior develops patience.
We live in an “instant” world. Instant gratification. Instant knowledge. Instant data. Instant breakfast. Instant health care. Instant entertainment. Instant transportation. It is rare to need to work in the fields foraging for a daily meal. It is rare to walk or bike to all the places we need to go. It is rare to read a book rather than a time screen. It is rare to be able to develop real relationships when cyber relationships seem faster and safer.
A Warrior develops patience.
Patience is a virtue to be developed. Paul lists patience as one of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. Developing patience reduces stress levels and makes you a happier and healthier person. Impatience leads to anger, stress and a feeling of being overwhelmed. Developing patience helps you control emotions and poise. Developing patience results in better decision-making. With patience you take the time to truly assess the situation and see the big picture. Developing patience enhances understanding, empathy and compassion. Patient warriors take the time to process what they are experiencing and are able to determine what it takes to overcome the obstacles.
Warrior patience represents a fusion of fearlessness, self-initiating energy, compassion, and service-oriented energy. The result is a person of great inner power and self-control.
Developing patience is like physical exercise. It takes persistence and effort. Make patience your goal for an entire day. Make a concerted effort to take your time and think about everything you do. Be mindful. Live in the moment. Slow down. Take deep breathes. Practice delaying gratification. Practice thinking before speaking.
A Warrior is patient.
Resigning as the General Manager of the Universe 
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