Patience and persistence- Friday Five...

Sally says: "As I write this I can see out over our newly set up veggie plot from my study window. When Tim and I moved here in August last year he set to work clearing the ground, this spring I began planting seeds indoors and out, and now the beds are full of leaf and promise. We have harvested some spinach and lettuce, but still have to wait for the main crops....Patience is something that sometimes comes easy and sometimes doesn't, in the case of the garden it is easy, I can see the growth and know that waiting will produce good results. With other things patience is more difficult....Along with looking forward to eating our own veggies, we are also looking forward to seeing four of our children graduate with Bachelors degrees this year, they have worked hard over the three years and stuck at it through some difficult stuff. It would have been easy for them to give up, but they haven't..." With all that in mind I offer you this Friday Five:


1. Is patience a virtue you possess? If it is then does it come naturally, if not how do you/ did you work at it? Sometimes and sometimes not! I'd say I am more patient when it comes to people than to things. I have been waiting on changes with some of my clients for a very long time now, understanding that hurt and fear stands in the way and makes it hard for them to take even the smallest steps sometimes. But if my necklace chain tangles I have about one minute for that and I am DONE! My patience has been getting mightily tried this week as I have been attempting to get our wedding picture CD to cooperate. Technology is another thing I have NO patience for. I want it to work and work NOW! There are over seven hundred pics on a DVD and apparently this is way tooooo many as the programs I've tried keep telling me...to album, to organize, to file, to upload, to print....what's a bride (without a lot of patience) to do! So I just keep trying to be more patient....talking to myself and breathing. Humor helps, as does my sweet R who tells me to take breaks and "just take em all to the store and print 'em...what the heck!"

2. Being patient with ourselves can be a huge challenge, we are often our own worst critics; is there anything you need to be patient with yourself with at the moment? Well...see #1. Yes there is always something...my inner critics have some notoriety on my blog. My biggest self-criticism/lack of patience with myself of late is my lack of self-discipline in a whole host of areas. But then playtime has also increased dramatically (and that does require patience too when it involves geocaching) so maybe it's a wash.

3. Are you the kind of person who can/ will persist with a difficult task? How much of this is personality related? Yes. Despite what I said above about the people vs things business. I can and will do what needs to be done. Looking at the folks I know and thinking about some conversations I've had of late....I think this is pretty much part of us....whether by nature or nurture or tightly knit combo. I don't think it's something that changes much about us once we are much into our lives.

4. Can you spot when persistence turns into pig-headed-ness, or do you never get there? Oh I get there....I get there. Just ask anyone who knows me, they will be glad to tell you this.

5. Post a song or a poem that chills you out and helps you to re-group, re-focus and carry on?
This was somewhere on the net during Lent and I posted it on my computer to use for my morning meditation....I like it....it stayed and I still find myself going there to remember.....

Let Your God Love You
by Edwinna Gateley
Be still.
Alone.
Empty
Before your God.
Say nothing.
Ask nothing.
Be silent.
Be still.
Let your God look upon you.
That is all.
God knows.
God understands.
God loves youWith an enormous love,
And only wants
To look upon you
With that love.
Quiet.Still.Be.
Let your God—
Love you.

Bonus, a picture or a photo that speaks to you of patience or persistence....It was a long time coming......