What parent doesn't get daily opportunities to exercise the virtue of patience, February's spiritual fruit of the month? In fact, I'm looking at a full evening of fruitful growth opportunities. The challenge: Stay patient and sane over the next five hours while folding six loads of laundry, tidying the house, getting supper ready, getting Nicholas to drumming at 5pm and Beavers at 6pm, picking him up, cleaning the kitchen, and packing for our trip to Quebec City. Care to place a wager on how I'll do? Oh, there's an extremely high-pitched squeal! The first of many tonight, I'm sure. Deep breath. Spirit in, Spirit out...patience.
Just writing the word - patience - makes me realize that there's a lot to it; patience is about more than restraint in the moment. I'm thinking that the practice of patience also involves an appreciation of the moments in which we find ourselves, no matter what the moment brings. Most days I find myself in such a hurry to get on to the next thing that I forget to enjoy what's in front of me right now: the mess and challenges, affections and intimacies of daily life with young children. I've got to ask myself, why the rush? Isn't this just what I've been waiting for?
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