Patience: Nope, Not For Me

Tell Me About – Patience

I always thought of myself as a patient person when I was younger—wise, intelligent, virtuous, and, of course, patient. My teenage self did not lack confidence. Until one day I was shopping with my first boyfriend. We had entered a jewellery store because I was looking for a new watch, one by the brand Swatch. It was busy inside, and I had already deduced they wouldn’t have the model I wanted, so I left the store. Once outside, he chuckled and said: ‘Juffertje Ongeduld,’ which translates to ‘Little Miss Impatience.’ That’s when I first realised that I, too, could be impatient. Surprise, surprise, I wasn’t always virtuous.

Impatient Everyday

In my life today, I have accepted my impatient side. When I decide I want to have something, I want it now, from a new crafting project to something for my computer. Yesterday even, if at all possible. When I order something through AliExpress, and I need to wait two months for it, it’s torment. Especially if the order is in The Netherlands, but it’s stuck at customs or with the Dutch mailing company. Just deliver it already!
For the same reason, I don’t like to cook. All that work and it’s so time-consuming, and in the end, you just eat it within five to fifteen minutes, and all you’re left with is a whole pile of dishes.

Impatient Writer

As a writer, I struggle with my lack of patience. I definitely don’t have the patience, or the persistence, to write a novel. I would love to write a long story and interweave all sorts of little details into one extensive work. I know that would take months of dedication to one project, and I don’t have the patience for that. Before I get to Week 2, I’ve already lost my interest in the project and will write a short story in between.

Blogging

This blog, though, is good practice for my patience. I have to go back to it week after week and try to build it into something bigger. How can I attract a bigger audience? How do I get companies interested in working with me? How to master Social Media and Marketing? To me, it’s all one long play with patience. Just keep pushing through, and you’ll grow bigger and reach your goals, whatever they may be.

Patient with my Cats

One area of life for which I have the patience of an angel is with my cats. One of my cats has been abused in her previous home, and it has taken me years of patience to get her to be the relaxed, happy cat she is today. The first two weeks she was with me, I haven’t seen her at all. But by keeping quiet, talking soft, sweet words to her, I gained her trust. During the first years, she would try to bite me when I was giving her food. Yeah, I know, ‘never bite the hand that feeds you’ and all that. But she’s lost that now. At the moment, she only tries to give me a cuddle when I put down her bowl of water. She means well. I’m very proud of how far she has come.

Infinite Lap Time

This level of patience extends to all my cats, naturally. My one cat wants to lie on my lap for hours and hours. And I often stay seated for him. My other cat often calls me from another room just so he can have a cuddle and some private attention time. Nine out of ten times, I respond to his call, and we’ll have a cuddle.

Not That Patient

So would I call myself a patient person? No, not really. In many areas of my life, I’m not patient at all. I don’t like waiting. I hate cooking for this exact reason. And yet, there are areas of my life where I can be patient. I’m very patient with my cats and with things like my cross-stitch projects, which only advance with one thread per day. I sometimes wish I could be more patient. Maybe I would get bigger projects done. Who knows, perhaps I could even write a novel. But right now, no, that’s not really in the cards for me.