THE ART OF PATIENCE
On June 24, 1992, the New Delhi English daily The Pioneer published a report by Jal Deep Lahiri. The report carries an important lesson: that some unpleasant situations are best handled simply by bearing them. Refusing to tolerate such situations only makes them worse.
The incident took place on the evening of June 22, 1992, when the Rajdhani Express left Delhi for Howrah. Soon after the train departed, passengers in one of the coaches (C-4) discovered that its air-conditioning unit was not working. The 70 passengers in that coach became upset. Without considering the consequences, they pulled the emergency chain, forcing the train to stop and return to the previous station, Tilak Bridge. The passengers got down onto the platform and began arguing with the railway officials. They demanded that the faulty coach be removed and replaced with a working one. The officials, however, explained that it was not possible to do so immediately, as no replacement was available nearby.
The argument led nowhere. Eventually, the train resumed its journey with the same defective coach. However, due to this unnecessary commotion, the Rajdhani Express was delayed by five hours. The disruption also caused a “rail jam” between Tilak Bridge and New Delhi Station, delaying five other trains as well. Two passengers who needed to reach Calcutta on time were so frustrated that they left the train and rushed to Palam Airport to catch an evening flight instead.
This incident shows the difference between maturity and immaturity of mind. The whole problem came from immaturity. Had those seventy passengers been people of mature judgment, neither this disruption nor the suffering of hundreds of others would have occurred.
So what is maturity? It is the ability to accept a reality that cannot be changed. When faced with such situations, immature people protest loudly, while mature people adapt and move on, ensuring that the journey of life continues without interruption.
If we reflect on the actions of those 70 passengers, it becomes clear that they did not measure up to this standard of maturity. Had they simply endured the temporary discomfort of a failed air-conditioner, their problem would have remained a single inconvenience—tolerating a little heat for a while. But because they lacked patience, their one problem multiplied into many.
In this world, not everything can always go according to one’s wishes. Life, by its nature, involves accepting loss. A person who cannot accept one loss will, in the end, have to accept many. To avoid reacting negatively during times of loss is what Islam calls patience (sabr).
Patience is essential for a successful life. Without it, no one can remain firm on the path to success—patience against personal desires, patience against the harm caused by others, patience in the face of loss of life and property, patience with unpleasant experiences, patience in times of deprivation and patience in hardship.
In this world, everyone repeatedly faces negative experiences. Only someone willing to live with patience can maintain a positive outlook despite them. Patience allows a person to remain unaffected by unpleasant events and to keep a constructive attitude during difficulties. It is patience that truly makes a person courageous.
