Patience

I’m someone who doesn’t like to be put on hold or told to chill and not do anything. I grew up with a mom that was a doer and would always lecture me on not putting something off till tomorrow that could be done today. So I grew up with a living example of someone who always had an eye for what needed to be done and did it. I was taught from birth that I didn’t have to be told to take out the trash I should just do it. Much like picking up my clothes off the floor and putting them in the laundry basket should be a natural act and not something I have to be screamed at to do.

I understand the need for patience when working with someone else, who has unique circumstances that need a little extra understanding and attention. I didn’t expect to be taught a life lesson with my Anne with her broken foot. It is ok to wait on my dad, who is 83 and has Dementia but to have to literally have to be available 24/7 for my Anne I didn’t expect this to happen any time soon.

It has been 3 weeks since Anne broke her ankle and had surgery. The good news is that she can start walking on her surgically repaired foot in a week. She is so ready to be able to get around on her own and not be dependent upon me. It is too easy to be busy doing something and forget that my Anne can’t get out of the shower without my help or even reach her towel. I wouldn’t purposely take off and do an errand and leave her to become a ‘prune’ but it could happen.

I know that working with at risk youth both little kids and teens can try your patience. It is so easy to let something that isn’t a big deal become a big deal and totally push you over the emotional edge. I am learning that there is a balance between being patience with a purpose and being guilty of ignoring real needs where you should not exercise patience and be quicker to express tough love.

I now that few like to wait on much of anything. I know that one of my teens can’t wait until the next iPhone comes out or the latest iPad is totally refreshed. Yet, these are really insignificant in comparison to walking with someone on their life journey understanding that there are land mines and temporary issues that won’t be resolved for years. I do have the hope and expectation that my Anne will some concerted effort and patience will be walking slowly then walking normally then walking quickly and then be able to run. It will be difficult for my Anne to not dash off and put her foot in jeopardy.

I know that our summer vacation was put on hold, not cancelled, by Anne’s hiking mishap. I can remember my mom’s 10 year battle with cancer meant that her and my dad didn’t travel very often and seldom was able to visit. This was totally understandable under the circumstances. I know that one of the tough life lessons is being able to adapt to changes in life and this requires having patience with yourself which is to most difficult to face.

I can remember, as a young Christians hearing many say to not ask God to give you patience because it meant something horrible would happen. Looking back over the last 40 years of my life I can see how God uses the normal circumstances of life, like broken bones or friends having surgery to teach us that life doesn’t haven’t to always be on the run. I will be the quickest to admit that it isn’t easy for me to just stop, listen and to watch a sunrise or smell the coffee or listen to birds in my backyard. I do appreciate the Psalmist who said that waiting is a normal part of life that will see God’s hand work.