July 29

PATIENCE MONTH: DAY 29: “Give yourself time to become everything you know you can be. Even the mighty oak was once just a seed.”― Sama Akbar

For me, the greatest test of my patience is with others who say they want to be different or to change, and their lack of determination to do so.

We tell ourselves a great number of stories around why we are the way we are. Truly, we use these stories as excuses to stay stuck in what is familiar to us. Even when we know it is causing us pain and unhappiness. We love to play the victim and stick in our shit, no matter how bad it smells. I know this is a form of conditioning that we all get to break free from…or not.

As long as I hang onto my story, I am never going to change my attitudes, and hence my behaviors. This is the reason so few people can remain abstinent. Then, a huge proportion of those folks are just going to stay stuck in their unhappiness and tell the story of how God is punishing them. This is a common refrain from those who are stuck.

There is nothing that is happening with them or for them, they just feel more comfortable with the shit than doing something new and unusual for them. It is never hard, but that is the story they tell. When we begin to take new action, new life springs up. Every time. Does it take practice and dedication to the spiritual principles. Yeah, but all you have to lose is your miserable story. So what?

I am not patient with this. It is a constant source of challenge for me to allow others to be as stuck as they insist on being. I just don’t have to stick around for it myself. That, I guess, is the answer, always. I have my hands full with me.