Patience: The Unseen Journey
There‘s a tree outside your window that hasn’t changed much in months. While the world rushes forward, with urgent deadlines, new trends, and the constant need to stay busy, the tree stands still. It doesn’t move with the speed of life around it. Instead, it waits, quietly, patiently. It’s a reminder that not everything needs to happen all at once, and maybe, neither do we.
Have you ever found yourself frustrated because you’re not where you thought you’d be? Maybe it’s your career that hasn’t progressed as planned, or a personal habit you’ve been trying to break that still lingers. You set goals, try new routines, promise yourself change, but the progress feels slow, almost invisible at times. The impatience builds, not with the world around you, but with yourself.
We’ve all been there, feeling like we’re not moving fast enough, not achieving what we “should” by now. It’s a deeply uncomfortable place, where self-doubt can creep in, and the temptation to compare yourself to others becomes overwhelming. The truth is, growth doesn’t follow a neat timeline. Real, lasting change, whether in your career, relationships, or within yourself, takes time, often more than we expect.
And here’s where the real lesson in patience comes in. Patience isn’t just about waiting for external circumstances to change, it’s about being gentle with ourselves in the in-between moments. It’s accepting that progress can be slow, that setbacks happen, and that growth is rarely linear. Patience invites us to trust that the small steps we take today, even if they feel insignificant, are part of the bigger picture.
It’s not easy to hold space for our own evolution, especially when it feels like we’re falling behind. But in these moments, choosing patience, choosing to give ourselves grace, becomes an act of self-compassion. It’s a reminder that we’re allowed to be a work in progress.
The Garden Metaphor: Patience and Growth
Patience is like tending a garden. You plant seeds, give them water, and trust the earth to do the rest. You can’t rush it. You can’t force the flowers to bloom. Instead, you nurture them, knowing that growth will come in its own time. Patience is allowing life to unfold naturally, without constantly pulling at the roots, hoping for faster results.
Softness is how we approach this waiting. Instead of hardening in frustration, we lean into grace. We allow ourselves to move gently through the unknown, understanding that sometimes, the most beautiful things take time to grow.
What Patience Teaches Us About Ourselves
Patience teaches us that we can’t control everything, and in that surrender, there’s relief. We’re reminded that there are forces at work beyond our control, and instead of fighting them, we can learn to embrace them. Trusting that not everything is our responsibility to manage allows us to live with more ease.
Time, which often feels like an enemy when we’re impatient, becomes a teacher through patience. It shows us that delays are often gifts, opportunities for reflection, growth, and deeper understanding. Time allows us to see things from a clearer perspective.
Slowing down also reveals what really matters. In the rush of life, it’s easy to overlook the things that truly deserve our attention. When we allow ourselves to slow down, we become more attuned to the details, the people, and the moments that truly enrich our lives.
Patience also reminds us of our inner strength. It’s not easy to wait, to sit with uncertainty or delay, but when we do, we realize that we’re stronger than we think. We learn that our capacity to endure, to keep going without rushing the process, is greater than we often give ourselves credit for.
Finally, patience teaches us that softness is power. Being gentle, open, and kind—both to ourselves and others—requires immense strength. Softness allows us to move through challenges with grace, and it’s through this softness that we find our resilience.
Reflection Questions:
When was the last time you allowed yourself to pause?
In what areas of your life are you pulling at the roots, hoping for quicker results?
What would it look like to approach your life with more patience and softness?
Patience and softness ask us to let go of the need for control, the desire to make everything happen all at once. They invite us to trust that things will come in their own time, just like the tree outside my window, which stands in quiet strength, waiting for its season to change.
Final Thoughts:
So, the next time you feel the urge to rush or force an outcome, remember the tree outside your window. It stands still, rooted in its own time, knowing that growth will come, not when the world demands it, but when it’s ready.
What would it feel like to approach your life with this same grace?