How I’m Learning Patience In An Instant Gratification Society
Patience, told to us since childhood that it's "a virtue," is a concept much better preached than practiced.
I've always excused my impatience by justifying that I should only be patient for things that truly require patience. As such, I've done minimal to curb my inescapable road rage because I've always felt that people should just "learn to drive." Like the impatience of my road rage, I tend to incessantly check for grade updates, even though I know two hours isn't possibly enough time to have tests graded. Getting stuck behind slow walkers may be the pinnacle of my impatience, though. Despite having short legs, they can cover vast distances with haste. Each of these situations is trivial, but they reveal my severe lack of patience.
While I know my ability to be patient is faulty, I've recently been forced into a state of waiting that's left me no choice but to discover what patience is all about. As of November, I've applied to seven-and-counting internships for the upcoming summer. We're now making our way into February, and I'm still waiting to find out what my status is. This will make month number FIVE.
So far, I've had a couple of companies send me emails periodically thanking me for my "patience" as they continue sorting through applicants. To be clear, I understand that this is a lengthy process, and many positions are being considered at once. While they've thanked me for this considerate patience, I've really had no choice but to wait.
I don't know if this trap of a situation counts for authentic patience, but I think I've learned something valuable in it, anyway. What's surprised me the most is how relatively at ease I've felt. Sure, I frequently check my email for updates, but I don't feel any soul-crushing worry. Even when I get call after call, text after text, and question after question from relatives asking about how the process is going, it hasn't perpetuated any anxiety.
I think this also presents an important point about response time in the age of ever-evolving communication technology. I feel that society's sense of urgency to reply within minutes, even seconds, and constantly be at everyone's beck and call is unhealthy. Sure, I like to be prompt with my responses, but it can become overwhelming to give everyone an immediate reply all the time. My mother always loves to chime in and argue, "You don't have to respond right away!" While I often chalk her words up to her lack of "phone etiquette," I've started to think she may just have a point. Mothers usually do.
Before the accelerated rise of technology, specifically cell phones, Smartphones, and the like, communication wasn't expedient. Not only communication but also, we couldn't pick up a seven-inch rectangle and instantly stream our favorite TV shows virtually anywhere. We had to wait for Tuesday or Wednesday night to catch them. We couldn't conjure up an entire shopping mall within 30 seconds, either. We actually had to make a trip to the physical mall to shop. We didn't have the whole world at the push of a button and click of an App.
This instant gratification phenomenon has essentially positioned itself in direct opposition to patience. The prevailing see now, buy now, do now, be now attitude frequently goes unchecked. As a product of my environment, it's really no wonder that this need for instantaneous results has hindered my development of patience. Not to make excuses for myself, because I'm responsible for how I react and respond to my own situations.
What I think has been interesting about my current situation is the discovery of what I, along with people in general, am capable of when presented with no other option. I'll continue to wait until the next e-mail comes along, the end. During this time, I'll go about my daily routine and keep functioning as I would any other day. I think the "right here, right now" conditioning we've had makes waiting, and moreover, patience, seem impossible. However, sometimes we're given no choice but to revert back to practicing the virtuous discipline of patience.
In all, if there's one thing maintaining my newfound journey of patience, it's that I hope the age-old adage of "good things come to those who wait" rings true for me.
