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Along Life’s Way
Patience: Is It a Virtue?
By Lois E. Wilson
Throughout centuries, the attribute of patience has been viewed as a
sign of weakness, timidity, or as a positive virtue. Some who believed
it was a negative personal quality made the following observations:
“Patience: a minor form of despair disguised as a virtue.” Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary (1881-1911).
“Patience, that blending of moral courage with physical timidity.” Thomas Hardy, Tess of the D’Urbervilles (1891).
Others who considered patience a virtue are quoted below:
“Patience, and the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown.” Chinese Proverb
“Only with winter-patience can we bring the deep-desired, long-awaited spring.” Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Autumn 1939.
“Whoever has no patience has no wisdom.” The Gulistan of Saadi (1258).
Jack Nicklaus when asked what primary advice he would give the players in his golf tournament, he responded, “Patience.”
The Bible links patience with hope: Romans 15:4 (AV) “For whatever
things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we
through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
In a 1952 speech, Adlai Stevenson stated: “A wise man does not try to
hurry history. Many wars have been avoided by patience and many have
been precipitated by reckless haste.”
The act of patience gives time for situations to resolve themselves—often in a positive way.
Christ says in St. Luke 21:19 (AV) “In your patience possess ye
your souls.” If we all have the wisdom to avoid rash decisions and
actions in favor of exercising the virtue of patience, the world could
be a better place. As a German proverb states, “Patience is a bitter
plant but it has sweet fruit.”
Although you lost an hour this weekend, be patient—you’ll soon be back in sync with Daylight Savings Time.
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