You hear the phrase several times as you make your way through the degrees of Freemasonry, "wait a time with patience." We're told all the time that we need to be patient, we need to slow down, and wait our turn, but let's face it, no one really wants to do that.
We are forever on the run these days. We rush from one thing to the next. The phone in our pocket is not just a phone anymore but also a digital assistant who constantly reminds us of appointments, email, text messages, social media posts, the news, and yes, even a phone call once in a while.
It's to this life style that so many think about when they hear the word patience. To not be hasty, to not rush, but it misses all other aspects of what patience is.
It's not just about slowing down, or waiting your turn, it's about being able to take on the challenges put before you, to "weather the storm," and to do it calmly, and in control. Patience is about having the inner strength to carry on and do so without complaint. It's about being willing and able to bear the trials that are place in your path.
The trouble is, for many, true patience, the ability to take a longer approach, the steady approach, the path that isn't necessarily the easiest, but the one that will bring the most joy at the end, is not something we are born with. Patience like so many things in life, is something that comes with time and experience, in other words, patience begets patience.
So when faced with the trials of life, slow down, adjust the weight, and be patient. We need to continue the journey bearing the burdens we each have, the ones we've been given and the ones we've created ourselves, so that at the end of the day, at the end of the path, we are rewarded with a stronger spirit for it.