Patience

I hate waiting. I especially hate it when I know there is a time set and the person whom I am supposed to meet still cannot make it on time and the always punctual me is left with no choice but to wait.

I'm now 25 years old. By now, one might think I have learned to be patient but what transpired the other day proves that I am still light years from achieving this rare virtue.

A friend and I were supposed to meet at 6:00 PM. I was on time, even early but as always, she's late. Very late in fact as the last time I checked my watch, it read 7:00 PM. I was irritated. So irritated that I wasn't able to resist the urge to text her, "It's a new year already and everyone's changing but it seems you still are your usual always-late self!"

Then it hit me! Whoa, I myself am not changing (contrary to what I wanted of a change for the better me in my first blog post for this year). I still am my usual impatient and temperamental self.

When my friend replied that she forgot about our meet-up, I resisted replying a not-so-good message. Or a message that will poke fun at her memory. Instead, I simply texted back, "It's okay. Take your time. I'll wait."

While waiting, I mulled things over. And I remember some friends joking about my being impatient. Quite too often, they always tell me that "Patience is virtue" to which I always reply, "That was, is and will never be mine." Of course, it was said jokingly, but still with a degree of truth to it.

Obstinacy. This is another character flaw I have. But there's hope, see. I can change. I sometimes just don't want to.

And so from this day on, I open myself to change, even to changes that I have difficulty dealing with. I will hold myself responsible for my emotions and the response I give to every situation I face. For I know, it is this response that will make me "myself."

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