THE VIRTUE OF PATIENCE

What is patience? Patience is the ability to control oneself during moments of strong emotion or provocation. It involves holding back one’s feelings before taking any retaliatory action, considering what the right reaction is at that time and what action would be more effective.

Sometimes, patience simply means holding back one’s emotions. Other times, it involves avoiding any retaliatory action. And in some instances, patience is about taking action, but making sure it is a well-thought-out, deliberate move rather than just an emotional reaction.

A question may come up: if an adversary harms someone, should they endure it patiently or try to counter it?

The answer is that patience does not mean enduring harm unnecessarily. Patience means that when an unfavourable situation arises, you calmly assess whether your retaliatory action will lead to a positive outcome or just increase your harm. Patience is about protecting yourself from further damage, not about risking yourself needlessly.

Patience can mean either taking action or holding back. The situation decides which type of patience is needed at any moment.

The difference between patience and impatience is that an impatient person jumps into the storm of circumstances without thinking about the consequences. A patient person, on the other hand, calmly evaluates the situation when it happens, talks with others, and then makes a move based on careful decision-making to ensure it is as effective as possible.

Patience is a strategic approach, while impatience is acting impulsively based on the immediate situation, without regard to wisdom or foresight.