Patience in Practice: A New Perspective

I am currently finishing up a project, and it is taking longer than I anticipated, so I'm getting a little impatient. (Also, it's for you guys, so I want to get it into your hands as soon as possible!) Anyway, it got me thinking… What if patience isn't merely about longing to get somewhere, but how we treat ourselves in the process? Perhaps the most profound aspect of patience is how it encourages self-compassion. Instead of berating ourselves for not reaching our goals fast enough, we can choose to treat ourselves with loving patience. Patience reminds us to slow down and to immerse ourselves in the journey itself, showing us that everything is, in fact, happening at the proper speed. Like anything else, patience is a practice. I once heard of this patience challenge: choose the longest line at the grocery store. Notice your thoughts and your body's reaction when things aren't moving as quickly as you'd like. What do our moments of impatience reveal about ourselves?