If childhood had a list of universal lessons, patience would hold a privileged place—right next to learning to share toys and tie shoelaces. From an early age, we are told that «patience is a virtue,» as if it were something we could simply switch on and off at will. «Wait your turn,» «Don’t interrupt,» «Everything happens in its own time.» Phrases we hear over and over, yet rarely are we taught how to apply them when everything around us pushes us toward immediacy.
The problem is that we live in a society that does not reward waiting. We want quick answers, instant results, and immediate rewards. Children grow up with technology that provides entertainment in seconds, surrounded by adults rushing from one task to another with no time for pauses, absorbing the idea that what is good must be fast—and if it isn’t, then it isn’t worth it. So, how can we ask them to be patient when everything around them screams that they shouldn’t wait?
The real issue is not just impatience but the frustration that comes with it. When something doesn’t happen immediately, a sense of despair takes over, as if waiting were synonymous with failure. Children cry because their drawing isn’t perfect on the first try, teenagers abandon projects because they don’t see immediate results, adults give up too soon because they’ve learned that if something isn’t quick, it’s not worth pursuing.
But here’s the great truth: patience is not just the ability to wait but knowing what to do while waiting. It’s understanding that the greatest achievements don’t happen overnight, that continuous effort has value, and that what matters is not just the result but the process. Patience teaches us to manage frustration, develop perseverance, understand that not everything is under our control—and that this is okay.
Ironically, adults are not masters of patience either. We live in a rush, jumping from one activity to another, demanding constant productivity, and measuring our success by how quickly we achieve our goals. We get frustrated in traffic, lose our temper in grocery store lines, and grow impatient when a message isn’t answered immediately. We want everything now, at this very moment, and without realizing it, we pass this same urgency on to our children.
Perhaps it’s time to rethink our relationship with time and waiting. Instead of seeing patience as a burden, we could start recognizing it as an opportunity to reflect, to enjoy the present, and to build calmly toward our goals. Accepting that not everything has to happen immediately allows us to appreciate small progress, moments of pause, and the processes that, though slow, lead to stronger results.
Amid this constant rush, we forget that life is not just about getting there fast but about enjoying the journey. We miss valuable moments in our obsession with meeting deadlines, checking tasks off an endless list, and feeling productive at all costs. Maybe patience is not just a virtue but a reminder that not everything has to be immediate. That waiting is not wasting time but giving value to each step. That taking a deep breath in traffic, enjoying a conversation without checking the clock, or letting children do things at their own pace is also living. Because, in the end, it’s not about how fast we arrive, but how we choose to travel the path.
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