Beech Tree News Network

I am still learning patience. My late husband used to say that patience is a virtue. I want to be patient. However, for me, some things trigger a feeling of impatience often accompanied by frustration.

-Vehicle disrepair:  No time is a good time for vehicle disrepair. We depend on our vehicles to get us where we need to go. Vehicles are usually the second most expensive purchase we make (Usually, a home is the most expensive purchase.). When we experience vehicular disrepair for any reason, we may have to problem solve, pay for unplanned repairs, and make different arrangements for transportation. These issues may trigger impatience and frustration.

-Scheduling appliance repair or service:  Appliance repair is difficult to obtain, so scheduling can be problematic. The repairmen I have met have been nice people. They work long days, and they travel over a wide area. Since we depend on appliances, service and repair is important. I have purchased and used appliance warranties. Appointments for service or repair may be scheduled days or weeks out. Then if a conflict arises, rescheduling is just as bad. Also, the window for the repairman’s arrival may be broad; for example, one repair service is usually scheduled within an 8 AM-to-5 PM window – resulting in a day of doing very little. Even though no one is at fault, scheduling and waiting for appliance repair may result in impatience and frustration.

-Internet or satellite outages:  When we have internet or satellite outages, we have no control. I would generally just read a book. However, since internet is required for so many things, sometimes one’s patience is stretched. Recently on a holiday weekend, a pole went down that supported the internet and home phone service to my house. In addition to no internet or home phone service, the home security was affected. The home security service called my cell phone multiple times to report a false door-tampering alarm. I am thankful that such outages are rare. I think the home security service was losing patience with my situation.

-Malfunctioning garage door:  If your garage doors have never malfunctioned, you are blessed. I had one to malfunction about two years ago. It wanted to go up and down, like it was rebelling. Thankfully, my son-in-law was able to fix it. We expect garage doors to open and close dependably based on a signal to do so. When they don’t, our patience can be tested and frustration may soon follow.

-Plumbing problems:  Any water system problem demands a solution. Since a water problem can cause other kinds of damage, it cannot be ignored. Unfortunately, many plumbing problems start out small, hiding until something captures our attention. Three small plumbing problems were identified in my house about a week ago. Thankfully, they were found before one could cause great damage. Plumbing problems are frustrating. It’s best to put resources toward getting these problems fixed. After all, plumbing problems are sneaky and may result in frustration and an out-of-patience attitude.

Joyce Meyers said, “Patience is not simply the ability to wait – it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.” Regrettably, certain triggers in life can make me feel impatient and frustrated. And I’m sure I don’t hide it well. I guess I’m a work in progress.