"Patience is not simply the ability to wait. It's how we behave while waiting."

We've all heard the LOVE verse from the bible, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. It's brought up at almost every wedding I've been to and there is a good reason why Patience is the first characteristic of LOVE. A serious amount of it is needed when dealing with people and when it's someone who is around you consistently day in and out - I am sure that's gets taken to a whole new level. 

When we think about life, in its totality, and we strip away all the materialistic stuff and work, what are we left with? Relationships. When a person reaches their last days on earth and reflect (if time permits) it's been said they were not concerned with how much work they had to do but the people in their lives. 

Madea said it's crazy what people will put up with just to have someone tell them they love them. Love is what the world need most and the top characteristic of it - is lacking the most in our world today.  I am far from perfect on this because I have to constantly remind myself that not everyone thinks like I do, not everyone feels they way I do about certain things, and it's in those times that I have to remind myself to be patient.

I have to remind myself to behave kindly when others don't agree with me, I have to remind myself that it's not about me in those instances. I have to remind myself that it's okay to agree to disagree; agreeably and to go on my way - to let it go. But instead many times we blame others, we become verbally abusive in the hopes that others will act the way, respond the way we want - the way we expect. 

The funny thing is that many (myself included) want others to be patient with us if the shoe was on the other foot. The crazy thing is if we wait - most of the time, what we are so concern with either gets resolved or fades away. So why do we behave so badly when we don't get what we expect? FEAR. 

So be courageous in your relationships by believing the best and not assuming the worst. No matter what happens, tell yourself you can handle it. Before you respond, pause, count backwards from 5 to 1, then respond. Practice this starting today. It is said - good things come to those who wait.