A Little Patience

I have always contended that I have little or no patience. I have said time and time again that it is a virtue I do not possess. Now, I am re-thinking those statements. I am starting to believe that I have tons of patience, I just have never given myself credit for it. I was thinking how many hours I have waited for other people, waited in line at banks, stores, and for Santa. The latter seemingly taking up to what must equal to about a third of my lifetime. For you who are parents who believe in Santa and have taken your children, do you remember how long it took to see the big guy? I am fairly certain one year, we stood in line for several days. O.K. maybe it was only for a couple hours, but in those hours I had breast fed one child, diapered another, and taught the oldest her ABC's. You see my point, it took a really long time. Time is relevant, especially if you are a parent. Babies in their most adorable state last that way the equivalent of thirty seconds. Teenagers in their most difficult periods, like when girls first have their periods, last that way for about forty years. During the warp speed seconds, and the Rip Van Winkle teen years, there I was waiting, being "the mom".
I wait for my husband...to make a decision, to get ready to go out, to pick me up when I need a ride because my mini van, the future museum piece isn't functional. I have waited for him to propose, to do dishes, to remember what I said in the kitchen that very morning. I wait. It's what I do.
I have waited for my kids, after games, concerts, to come home, to leave home, to show up, to grow up, I have waited for and on those kids for nearly 25 years. I have turned waiting into an art form. Maybe I am truly the museum piece. I could be displayed as a life size replica of time standing still, falling forward.
I have waited for a lifetime to do some things I had put on the back burner, until everyone got more settled. I waited until the time was right to write my book, start a new career and make some plans that put me first on the itinerary. I wait for the dogs to go, the cats to eat and the sugar glider to come out of hiding. I wait for Jim the rabbit to come to me so I can give him food, and a little love.
I wait for commercials to end, movies to start and traffic that seems endless no matter the time of day. I wait for walkers to cross, bikers to yield, and grocery carts to stop just short of banging into my already heavily dented car. I wait for stores to open, days to end, and the phone to ring.
I thought of all the waiting I have done in my life and let me tell you, it is sizable. Countless hours have gone into me learning patience. I have walked the walk and talked the talk, only to find myself put on hold to wait just a little longer.
Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have patience. It's starts with P that rhymes with T that spends my time. I will not be saying I have no patience. Turns out I have it in excess. I have enough to start a patience library, loaning out free patience to those who lack enough of their own. It's a remarkable thing when I learn something new about myself. It doesn't happen every day. I have to wait until something bubbles to the top. Today I learned something that I find very valuable.
I have the patience of Job, and the scars to prove it.