I once boasted of being a man of patience. All that was fine and well until I was put into a situation that required a lot more patience. Then suddenly, I found myself searching frantically for the patience that I so quickly lost. Being from a small town, things were quite different when I moved to a larger city. Sure, it was not actually a big city, but it was certainly big to me. I had been used to one lane in each direction for the majority of non-highway roads. Every once in a while, the smaller roads opened up to two lanes each way for a brief time to pass but they quickly recognized what town they were in and returned to single lanes.
Even after having lived here in the new place for a couple years now, I still find my patience tested regularly on the road. When driving within the city limits, it is all about timing. Each light seems to have a pattern. The slightest delay of only a few seconds ushers in the dreadful yellow light and soon brings the car to a halt. At a red light, my car eagerly waits for that glimpse of freedom on the horizon. Meanwhile, there I am, trying not to be upset at the driver that was in front of me who made it through the light. If I had a wig, there would be a strong temptation to send it flying to the floorboard while I nearly spit and convulse about the driver who screwed me over.
Recently, I had another similar incident. There my car waited to turn right onto a three-lane road (each side). To my right, a short distance away, was a red light. In my natural human mind I reasoned, red means stop, so these people should be able to look ahead, see the red and prepare to apply the brakes. The only problem was these drivers did not see my logic. When I saw openings, I started to inch out a little, only to be flabbergasted when they sped up. I returned my eyes to the right only to witness the stack of cars growing longer in each lane at the red light. Car by car passed by until the last one stopped directly in front of me, blocking me from making the simple right turn. It was at this point dreams of a battering ram filled the imagination. The nerve some people have baffles me. The third lane is where I wanted to go, and it suddenly had a green arrow, perfect for drivers like me who needed to go that way. Impatiently, I waited a little longer until I finally inched my way around the shameless person blocking my freedom.
The most ridiculous part of it all, was that I was listening to a sermon. In a few moments of frustration over the indecency of other drivers, my patience was nearly lost completely. I drove by every one of the drivers who refused to let me out. I wanted desperately to wave at them all with the familiar wave drivers often signal out to each other with. Not a good look for the fellow listening to a sermon! However, I saw the whole situation for what it was, a test of my patience. But I found what little patience I had left and waited at the same red light for a second time.
It is easy to talk the talk, but can you live it out? Patience is a tricky thing. When you have no need for it, it comes by the truck load. However, when you need it, see if you can find it! As for me, I’m still working it out, one lesson at a time!
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