if you can wait and not be tired by waiting…. (If by Rudyard Kipling)
The painting is called "Patientia" by Pieter Bruegel. Look closely, Patience is sitting quietly, chained to a block, praying in a world gone mad.
The caption, by the early Catholic theologian Lactantius, reads: Patience is the bearing with equanimity of the evils which are either inflicted or happen to fall on us.
Therefore the just and wise man, because he exercises virtue, has patience in himself; but he will be altogether free from this if he shall suffer no adversity. On the other hand, the man who lives in prosperity is impatient because he suffers nothing.
Getting what we want makes it difficult to wait for what we don't have. To survive, as Bruegel shows, you have to tune out the noise and look away from the madness because we can’t always get what we want when we want. Yet we can still be at peace in the interim. Some count to ten or go for a walk to gain a new perspective I prefer gong baths to elicit a state of neutrality and clarity of mind. Remember all good things come to those who wait.
Timing is everything
‘Patient’ means to be able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious, or, someone receiving medical treatment. I think this nicely sums up humanity over the last two years.
Laura E. Richards published The Patient Cat in 1881. (read here) Basically a cat finds eggs in a nest and waits for a bigger meal. Sometimes While we stop to think, we often miss our opportunity. Pubilius Syrus.
Timing is everything so Stop worrying about missed opportunities and start looking for new ones. I.M. Pei As Michael Jordan says, I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed. So Don't live in regret, for if you do, you will miss even more. Charbel Tadros. Just do it.
Procrastination to patience
Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience. Ralph Waldo Emerson
If I have learned anything over the last two years it is persevere. We open again on April 21!
Sometimes I procrastinate. Ever since we added a second coat of paint to the labyrinth on the floor of the studio a year ago I've faced a tacky dirt magnet. Reluctantly the only solution was a fresh start.
The journey of 1000 miles begins with one step. Thanks to COVID I had the time. I lacked motivation. With the studio closed I ran out of excuses. After testing a number of options from a heat gun to soapy water, alcohol and finally goopy paint remover and elbow grease.
A week ago I sat down and discovered a new moving meditation, inch by inch all 6000 of them. Once I began, the universe conspired to help. Kaman, Aimee and Makin generously appeared to edge the lines with tape.(thank you 🙏 ) and then paint.
Like this snail I kept moving towards my goal. Native peoples associated the snail totem with patience and prioritisation. Did you know that current research proves that patience engages the frontal lobe therefore allowing better decisions, less health issues, you'll procrastinate less, and experience fewer negative feelings? This week I invite you to find opportunities in your day to slow down, observe and listen. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither was my labyrinth!
Commitment is an act not a word. Jean Paul Sarte
Motivation births an idea, Commitment transforms it into reality. Abraham Lincoln
Free Solo documents Alex Honnold’s climb of El Capitan in 2017. For years he planned and prepared with unwavering dedication to achieve the Holy Grail of climbing while many thought he needed to be committed for daring to attempt it. You watch in awe as his Commitment unlocks doors of imagination, allows vision, and gives him the right stuff to turn his dream into reality. James Womack
Tony Robbins says stay committed to your decisions, be flexible in your approach. For Alex, Success was a matter of hanging on when others would have let go. Anon And When challenged, the committed heart will search for a solution, the undecided seeks an escape. Andy Andrews
The movie is not for the faint of heart. It does exemplify that The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence regardless of their chosen field of endeavour. Vince Lombardi. No one said it would be easy, for The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. Vince Lombardi Remember, it is the courage to continue that counts. Winston Churchill
I have committed my life to my family and to Red Doors, what are you committed to?