Patience.
The Beatitudes list patience as one of the virtues of love.
And yet...
As I get older, love my child and husband more and more with each turn of the earth (no really, I do!), I have less and less patience with them, much less with myself. I tell myself it's because I have higher standards now, but I think that might be a lie.
I think my standards are about the same, overall, but my expectations of those around has significantly changed. Oh, you're 11 now? Well now I expect you to behave exactly in the way an adult would act. You'll do it, but on your own timeline which is vastly different from mine? That's just unacceptable.
Patience.
In my new planner, I have a space for jotting down one significant way I've been patient with my family that day. This is something I need to work on, and am using this year to really focus on. I'm generally a patient person, and yet I am the least patient with those that I love the most. This needs to change.
And today, one of the biggest challenges of all - my cycle has started. I won't go into graphic detail, but it puts me through the equivalent of labor each month, without the payoff of an epidural or a sweet baby to snuggle afterward. Sitting home from work, writing out this post, it's difficult to look around me and see all the things waiting to be done, and to restrain myself from doing them because it will either cause more pain, or I simply physically am unable to do so.
Patience.
Nothing that I see around me is an urgent matter. Laundry can wait another day. Those boxes will still be there for me to sort tomorrow. For now, I need to allow myself to rest and heal.
Some days, that's the hardest thing to accomplish.
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- Some of us have more than others.
- Some of us are selective upon whom we bestow our patience.
- Some of us value it higher than others.
The Beatitudes list patience as one of the virtues of love.
And yet...
As I get older, love my child and husband more and more with each turn of the earth (no really, I do!), I have less and less patience with them, much less with myself. I tell myself it's because I have higher standards now, but I think that might be a lie.
I think my standards are about the same, overall, but my expectations of those around has significantly changed. Oh, you're 11 now? Well now I expect you to behave exactly in the way an adult would act. You'll do it, but on your own timeline which is vastly different from mine? That's just unacceptable.
Patience.
In my new planner, I have a space for jotting down one significant way I've been patient with my family that day. This is something I need to work on, and am using this year to really focus on. I'm generally a patient person, and yet I am the least patient with those that I love the most. This needs to change.
And today, one of the biggest challenges of all - my cycle has started. I won't go into graphic detail, but it puts me through the equivalent of labor each month, without the payoff of an epidural or a sweet baby to snuggle afterward. Sitting home from work, writing out this post, it's difficult to look around me and see all the things waiting to be done, and to restrain myself from doing them because it will either cause more pain, or I simply physically am unable to do so.
Patience.
Nothing that I see around me is an urgent matter. Laundry can wait another day. Those boxes will still be there for me to sort tomorrow. For now, I need to allow myself to rest and heal.
Some days, that's the hardest thing to accomplish.
Click here to save $10 on your first ErinCondren.com order!
Oh patience... I know just what you mean. (I think you saw my post about too much yelling!) I used to get awful periods like that too... they are just miserable. Take it easy on yourself for a few days. I think writing daily about patience is a great practice. I might have to steal that from you! =)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much - I am taking it fairly easy again today, it's hard to do absolutely nothing! As to the patience log, steal away! I figured it's a good way to hold myself accountable :)
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