Patience
Mine is easily tried.
If patience were a rope, mine would be short.
My lack of patience does not seem to affect the people around me as it affects me. My wife giggles and replies I will be right down, my children need to be asked again and again. They all seem to be oblivious to the tension welling up inside me. Then when I don't think I can wait another minute... I do... and life goes on.
These thoughts about patience are born of my experiences and feelings yesterday. Sunday morning, Merry's Knight in Shining Armor (Heidi's Dad) comes over with donuts and coffee. This would be a great start to any day, my patience is doing just fine.
Next Merry and I prepare for Church, still feeling good, however the mood is about to change, and it happens slowly. At Church there are the usual reminders to behave, be quiet, sit still, listen to the priest. This week she seems to need extra direction, I am blaming myself, she found a bag of valentine day hearts in my truck on the ride over and I let her eat them. The elevated nudge level must be due to high blood sugar. Eventually we settle down and Mass is good. The Priest talks about looking forward and not lingering in the past.
Then, after Communion, I see Merry, out of the corner of my eye, making faces and fists at the woman at the end of our pew. I am not sure who started it, the woman looked as though she left her cigarette burning outside the church and that she was struggling to leave the bottle alone. You know the look, sunken cheeks, stringy hair, and she was giving it right back to the 4 year old.
Well, needless to say I was embarassed and let Merry know it. We sat out the final five minutes of Mass and then hightailed it out of there. I never made eye contact with the woman and hope never to see her again. Good way to come out of Church, ashamed, just the way the Pope planned it.
This incident with Merry tried my patience. On our arrival home Heidi was to have the boys dressed and ready. We had a date with Grampy at his club for brunch. Brunch at the club is good. Merry and I got to the house and there is no one in sight, Merry finds the entire crew, Heidi, David, and Thomas in the tub. So much for being ready when we get home. Merry and I had only been gone about an hour and a half. Why was everyone still in the tub? Phone calls, is the reason.
O.K. don't dwell in the past, move forward, get the boys dressed, the car warmed up, lets eat. I got all the kids ready to go, all we need is Mom, Five, Ten, Fifteen minutes tick by, I am dying please please hurry up. I head up the stairs, wondering aloud, "What the hell is going on up here?" Are you all right?" She is fine, just trying to put together the right outfit for brunch. The right outfit for brunch? She told her Dad we would be there at 11:30 it is now 12:00, she told her father not to be late, we are late, this does not phase Heidi in the least, it makes me crazy.
Brunch is great, Grampy was at the bar having a Bloody Mary and did not even realize what time it was or the fact that we were late. At this point this annoys me as well. The food is terrific, the kids behave, what was I worried about? Life is good.
Waiting for Heidi to pick out the right outfit for brunch stayed with me all day. I am a flawed individual. She did look great, but she always looks good. What are you woman really up to, is it an attempt to try our patience? I have never been able to get used to it. I like punctuality, always have. In my book on time is five minutes early, as far as Heidi is concerned as long as we get there it is all good.
I am learning, especially with children that I need patience, some days it is harder than others, but as the Priest said, there is nothing we can do about the past, we can only work for a better future.
If patience were a rope, mine would be short.
My lack of patience does not seem to affect the people around me as it affects me. My wife giggles and replies I will be right down, my children need to be asked again and again. They all seem to be oblivious to the tension welling up inside me. Then when I don't think I can wait another minute... I do... and life goes on.
These thoughts about patience are born of my experiences and feelings yesterday. Sunday morning, Merry's Knight in Shining Armor (Heidi's Dad) comes over with donuts and coffee. This would be a great start to any day, my patience is doing just fine.
Next Merry and I prepare for Church, still feeling good, however the mood is about to change, and it happens slowly. At Church there are the usual reminders to behave, be quiet, sit still, listen to the priest. This week she seems to need extra direction, I am blaming myself, she found a bag of valentine day hearts in my truck on the ride over and I let her eat them. The elevated nudge level must be due to high blood sugar. Eventually we settle down and Mass is good. The Priest talks about looking forward and not lingering in the past.
Then, after Communion, I see Merry, out of the corner of my eye, making faces and fists at the woman at the end of our pew. I am not sure who started it, the woman looked as though she left her cigarette burning outside the church and that she was struggling to leave the bottle alone. You know the look, sunken cheeks, stringy hair, and she was giving it right back to the 4 year old.
Well, needless to say I was embarassed and let Merry know it. We sat out the final five minutes of Mass and then hightailed it out of there. I never made eye contact with the woman and hope never to see her again. Good way to come out of Church, ashamed, just the way the Pope planned it.
This incident with Merry tried my patience. On our arrival home Heidi was to have the boys dressed and ready. We had a date with Grampy at his club for brunch. Brunch at the club is good. Merry and I got to the house and there is no one in sight, Merry finds the entire crew, Heidi, David, and Thomas in the tub. So much for being ready when we get home. Merry and I had only been gone about an hour and a half. Why was everyone still in the tub? Phone calls, is the reason.
O.K. don't dwell in the past, move forward, get the boys dressed, the car warmed up, lets eat. I got all the kids ready to go, all we need is Mom, Five, Ten, Fifteen minutes tick by, I am dying please please hurry up. I head up the stairs, wondering aloud, "What the hell is going on up here?" Are you all right?" She is fine, just trying to put together the right outfit for brunch. The right outfit for brunch? She told her Dad we would be there at 11:30 it is now 12:00, she told her father not to be late, we are late, this does not phase Heidi in the least, it makes me crazy.
Brunch is great, Grampy was at the bar having a Bloody Mary and did not even realize what time it was or the fact that we were late. At this point this annoys me as well. The food is terrific, the kids behave, what was I worried about? Life is good.
Waiting for Heidi to pick out the right outfit for brunch stayed with me all day. I am a flawed individual. She did look great, but she always looks good. What are you woman really up to, is it an attempt to try our patience? I have never been able to get used to it. I like punctuality, always have. In my book on time is five minutes early, as far as Heidi is concerned as long as we get there it is all good.
I am learning, especially with children that I need patience, some days it is harder than others, but as the Priest said, there is nothing we can do about the past, we can only work for a better future.
Labels: Parent feelings
posted by Peter at
8:12 AM
1 Comments:
Dear beloved husband,
Are you insane!!! I was not looking in the mirror or trying to pick out the right outfit but rather bathing our sons, getting them dressed, taking a shower, and getting myself dressed in the hour, not hour and a half, you were gone. While you were gone I did talk to my sisters friends that had not yet heard about the accident which was a major factor resulting in the tardiness of only 15 minutes!!! I do not mind that you were frustrated, just don't make it sound like I was running late because I was being VANE!!! Yes, I think you are insane. RELAX. I love you. Love, your amazing wife.
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