Home
Prayer
Christmas
Discerning the Will of God
Relationships and Family
Finding Meaning in Work
Health and Wellness
Nurturing the Creative Spirit
Spiritual Direction
Profiles in Faith
Book Reviews
Links

Contact Us
Submit an Article

Taking Time to Be Patient

by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

I recall reading in M.J. Ryan's "The Power of Patience" that when we lose our patience it is because we feel that things should be going our way and they aren't, or that there is something better or more important we should be doing with our time. Recently, another writer and I were discussing how our children have taught us patience. Very little children live in the moment. They care little for any calls to "hurry up" or prodding to move on to the next activity. Whenever possible, if my two boys (age four and two-and-a-half) are engaged in an activity, I try not to interfere and to let them finish whatever it is they are doing. They learn a great deal by figuring out their own solutions to problems, and their imaginations get a workout in their land of make-believe.

The same holds true when we go out for walks. I love to walk and I use it as my primary form of exercise (well, that, and keeping up with two little boys!) There are times when I actually need to get somewhere in a timely fashion. In those cases, I put them in the stroller and we head out on our way. More often than not, however, we leave the stroller at home and set out to explore. You haven't really "seen" an area until you have experienced it with a small child. There are so many things to notice that we as adults pass by without a second glance. It can take an hour to cover the same amount of territory that I could walk in ten minutes if I were on my own. The kids spell out the letters on signs and look at plants, balance while walking on curbs, hop on rocks, and dance around fire hydrants. We usually return home with our arms and pockets full of treasures - rocks, leaves, pinecones, and wildflowers. Sometimes the flowers even survive the journey home and end up in a vase on our kitchen windowsill!

Yes, my children have taught me patience, to literally stop and smell the roses, and the milkweed, and the dandelions. There is no need to rush on to the next activity. There is no more important place for me to be than right there with them, drinking in the simple beauty of this amazing world.

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur is editor of "The Spiritual Woman Newsletter" (http://www.spiritualwoman.net) and author of "Letters to Mary from a Young Mother" (iUniverse, 2004).