I often ask my friends if there’s a specific compliment they like receiving¹. It’s because I know mine: that I’m pretty darn patient.

It’s the only compliment I actually like hearing because it’s one of the only things I’m proud of myself for. As an aspiring educator, I want to be patient enough to help a slow learner. As a creative, I want to be patient enough to let a software’s tenth crash not bother me. As a friend, too, I want to be patient while I listen and learn.

The word patience comes from the Latin word “patientia” which means “endurance”.

To me, it’s a high tolerance for something unexpected or undesirable and the ability to accept a situation in a state of calm. It’s the ability to wait.

Wait, patiently, for the uncomfortable 16 hour airplane ride to be over. Wait, for the next time my favourite cricket team plays. Wait, while my body heals from an illness and I’m quarantined. Wait, one day at a time, for the week to crawl along so it’s the weekend again.

Only for the trip to be over in a flash. For the cricket game to end, for the next sickness, for yet another dreaded Monday.

Here’s the thing that scares me: I don’t want to be so exceptionally good at being patient that I just.. wait my life away. To be patient during the bad, waiting for the good. Because I’m afraid my life will be over in a flash, and I’d have just patiently waited for one thing after another to end.

“Patientia” comes from the root word “pati” which not only means “to endure”, but means “to suffer”. And I certainly don’t want to be suffering through life.

1. If you’re reading this, I’d love to know what yours is! ↩︎