Patience is a virtue
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 131 No 3, 22 May 2026, page no.27
As the older section of the education community, retired teachers now have some time to reflect on the past, present, and future. One aspect of our lives today is the speed at which everything is moving: days run into days, weeks into weeks, and years into years. And then we wonder where the time has gone…
We also experience the speed at which our daily lives move. People rushing to work; drivers eager to reach their destination as quickly as they can; mothers trying to do too many things at once; children growing up before their time. In all this movement, we seem at times to have lost patience with each other and the world around us. The lack of patience on the road leads to “road rage” and accidents. With a little more tolerance, everyone would reach their destination safely. A wise old teacher in my early days of schooling repeatedly said: “Better to be late than dead on arrival.”
How can we learn these lessons? Children are taught social skills as part of the prep curriculum and then throughout their schooling. This includes sharing, taking turns, and tolerance for others, all of which are part of patience. Waiting for results or waiting for the outcome of a story or film can be exciting, but equally, the suspense can be unbearable.
Either way, patience is a virtue most of us try to adhere to and uphold in our everyday lives. So how come it’s so hard to implement and even harder to maintain once you make progress? The problem with “becoming” patient is that you can’t practice it without being put in a situation that requires it.
Patience is a virtue and should be instilled in all of us so that we may make logical, well-thought-out decisions and benefit the emotional welfare of others, as well as ourselves.
Members have enjoyed activities such as a guided tour of the backstage at QPAC, and then, after the musical MJ and high tea, we will change pace and visit the Banyo Car Museum. We will have to be patient for the interesting activities arranged by the Events Committee.