Patience: Daily Gratitude 8

I'm grateful for the gift of patience. It seemed to arrive today just when I most needed, but least expected, to find it.

I don't quite understand patience, and how it works. Yesterday I was feeling tired, worn out and disgruntled. This morning as I looked ahead at my even busier day I knew I wanted to shake off those feelings, but wasn't sure how. I prayed for patience.

When I need patience I tend to want it NOW. It's like that tired old joke... "God grant me patience, and grant me patience NOW." But when you need it, you need it NOW.

Unfortunately it never seems to come immediately. But it does come.

Perhaps it's the prayer. Or perhaps it's the acknowledgement: acknowledging my need, my willingness to be patient and the desire to get unstuck from the opposite. Maybe they are the same thing. C.S Lewis wrote "[Prayer] doesn't change God, it changes me." The prayer is the acknowledgement that prompts the change.

Regardless, I've seen it happen. Suddenly I find that I'm more present in the moment. I'm enjoying it, and not stressing about what is to come. Not brooding about what has already passed. That doesn't mean that all the irritations are gone. But my bad attitude is, if not completely gone, greatly diminished. My energy is renewed.

Patience has snuck up on me. Stealthily. There is a moment when I notice it has arrived. And has been there for a while.

And I am grateful.


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don't forget Monday's Mission... to write a post a in the style of a menu. Play along... I'll be grateful! :)