55. Patience is a virtue.

Our society has a pair of problems that do not have too much in common, but they have the same names, only spelled differently. I am referring to our societal problems of weight and wait. Some of us are faced with both issues, but all of us are affected by the "wait" problem.

We are an on-the-go society where just about everyone has some kind of regular schedule every day or week. We have been conditioned to always be conscious of the time and the agenda that is connected to the ticking of the clock. When life and unexpected events disrupt our schedules, we often become stressed and anxious. We often find our patience is stretched to the limit. 

An ordinary event such as going to a doctor's appointment can tax our patience in many simple and subtle ways. When I lock my apartment door I am forced to wait for an elevator and if it is occupied, I must wait in order to follow our Covid mandate and wait for the next on. When leaving our underground garage I must wait for 20 seconds after exiting until the door closes to prevent unwanted visitors from sneaking in. I must then wait at least ten times in ten minutes for a traffic light to change,  a pedestrian to cross, or to turn across traffic. After I park my car, I must wait for a machine to process my parking pass and wait for the next elevator to take me to the doctor's floor. After checking in, one more wait in the waiting room until my appointment time. Every 'wait' can lead to an uptick in blood pressure and cause a spike in anxiety. And this is a simple task.

When we have important events or meetings, the level of stress at arriving on time can be very stressful. City drivers are often stressed as they are observed speeding, changing lanes recklessly, running red lights and honking in anger at slow-moving traffic. Big city living often tests patience to the limit. Different individuals also respond to stress differently. I think that I have been blessed with the gift of patience. I generally plan ahead of events carefully to allow time for the unscheduled delays. I believe that patience is truly a virtue and it is important to develop the trait!