Story: Patience

The turtle arrived at her opossum friend’s place and said, «Hello, my friend, I’m here and ready!» The opossum, upon seeing her, became happy. After several months of waiting, the turtle had finally arrived. «Perfect, turtle friend,» said the opossum. «Let’s get to work! You will be in charge of making the door for my room.» The turtle, seeing that she wasn’t assigned anything else, asked, «What else can I do? Remember, I’m a carpenter.» The opossum smiled and said, «For now, just that. Let’s go step by step, very slowly.» The turtle, smiling, replied, «You know me well. You know that’s my specialty.»

And so, they started working. They began in January, February, March, and by April, the opossum had finished the integral kitchen, the bedroom closets, the ceiling, the doors of the house (excluding her room), the shelves, and the broom closets. The turtle, slowly with her polisher, continued polishing the wood to assemble, paint, and install. The opossum came and said, «Turtle friend, it’s looking great! How much more time do you think you need to finish the door?» The turtle said, «I think not much. It’s hanging by a thread, and opossum said, «Great! Keep it up!»

May, June, July, August passed, and finally, in December, the turtle could start painting the door. The opossum got up from her hammock since she had finished her part of the house, everything except the door of her room. She approached the turtle and said, «Turtle friend, the door looks beautifully painted.» The turtle replied, «Yes, I like to do things well, especially knowing it’s for you, my opossum friend.» She asked again, «When do you think you’ll finish?» The turtle responded, «Not much left. After painting, it’s just a matter of installing it.» «Perfect, turtle friend! Keep it up!»

The calendar continued, and September, October, November passed. Finally, in December, the door was completely ready. The turtle said, «Friend opossum, my job is done. I did it as quickly as possible because I knew it was for you. It’s a door for a lifetime.» The opossum, as wise as ever, looked at her turtle friend, smiling, «Thank you, I know. I’m happy to have a door made by you.» The opossum knew that her turtle friend had her own pace and rhythms. Their friendship was so strong and beautiful that she had patience, accepted, and loved her friend just the way she was. The turtle had never heard a criticism or complaint from the opossum.

INDIVIDUAL TASK:

1. Look patiently in the dictionary for the definition of patience and write it down. Answer: [Your response]
2. What characteristics should a patient person have? Answer: [Your response]
3. Who in your life reminds you of the turtle, and who reminds you of the opossum? Answer: [Your response]
4. If you encounter a turtle in your life, would you have patience? Answer: [Your response]
5. Do you consider yourself a patient or impatient person? Why? Answer: [Your response]