The other day, my husband and I took our daughters shopping. Waiting for them to make decisions on which sweater color looked better and which dress was the prettiest and how much money they wanted to spend, took me back a few years to my teenage shopping days. I would enter a store with my parents and my mom would stay with me and help me shop while my dad would find the nearest chair and prepare for a long sit. This was in the days when cell phones were not really popular, so my dad would just find a chair and relax. Sometimes, he would doze off while we were happily shopping. He was patient…very patient.

Standing there watching my daughters, I tried to exercise patience but after a few minutes, it was difficult for me to refrain from saying, “Hurry up. It’s time to go. What are you going to get?”

How many times do we get impatient with life, circumstances, people or traffic? We’ve become so accustomed to moving fast and getting things done quickly that it’s difficult for us to enjoy the moment or give others time to enjoy the moment. There is something to be said for patience. Next time you are tempted to rush someone or miss out on something because it seems it’s an inconvenience, take a moment and relax. Be patient. Enjoy life.

~Coletta Jones Patterson

*Coletta is an author, life coach, and business executive who is passionate about helping others get unstuck.  To connect with Coletta, email info@moveu4ward.com.