If you’ve seen me in my acupuncture clinic, then you’d know me as patient and caring. That’s because the time you spend there is about you, and you are my priority. But when it comes to my personal life, I recently woke up to the reality that I haven’t been as patient as I thought.
When I say “woke up to,” I don’t mean that I lazily opened my eyes, stretched, looked out the window, and thought: what a beautiful reality. No, I mean I woke up to a knockout punch from a 4 foot, 11.5 inch, 105-pound girl.
Until my wake-up call, I thought I was a patient man because I think hard work and honest effort over a period of time pays off. But that’s not patience. That’s endurance.
Patience is when you consciously allow time for something — like a relationship — to mature. It is the practice of sitting back and allowing things to naturally unfold.
In terms of my personal life, it has been my modus operandi to act swiftly, do without thinking, and then learn from my mistakes. Unfortunately, my mavericky-Palinesque way of learning cost me a person I care deeply about.
However, I’m happy for the chance to accept responsibility for my actions and to once again learn something about myself. And I’m grateful for that special someone to show me the way. I believe I’m a better person for it.
… but I guess only time will tell.
Carl is a former engineer who applies rational thought to the often subjective nature of traditional healing. He practices acupuncture in San Diego, CA.