Learning patience doesn't have to mean what you think it means. It does not mean tolerating. It does not mean overlooking. It does not mean learning not to bite your tongue, gnash your teeth, tap your foot.

When the world revolves around you, it is hard to be patient. When the world does not revolve around you, you don't have to be patient because you do not focus on that which you perceive as needing to be patient about.

Impatience is too often based on presumption and assumption.

Physically, you do not push someone into a corner because you have decided that they are taking up your space. The sidewalk doesn't belongs to you. Pretty much you allow people their physical space. And yet you see time, which is the other side of the coin of space, as belonging to you as if it is yours to own. Within the circumference of time, you begin to see someone's words or acts as impinging on your time.

Time is irrelevant of you. You do not own time.

This is not meant to mean that others' time is more important than the time you are spending. Your time does matter. You do matter.

Bear in mind that you can focus on only one thing at a time. When you are focusing on time, you are not focusing on what the other person is saying or trying to say or doing or trying to do.

If you have only five minutes to give, give it. Do not skip over the five minutes.

When you have felt downplayed by someone else, you are impatient with their attitude toward you as you perceive it. Consider, if you will, that you may have been looking at the wrong end of the horse.

Allow others to express themselves as best they can. May you listen and partake objectively. Everything someone says doesn't necessarily reflect on you or is about you. Perhaps they do talk so they can hear what they are thinking. Listen as if you were a wise person who carries a balance in life. Give the gift of time as you can allot it. When you are wise, you have no need for impatience.

You are My beloved. The other is also My beloved. Give your attention to My beloveds. Have your attention on them more than you have your attention on time.

I understand that you have to take time into consideration. Listening is a better use of your time than impatience.

Let another have his rhythm. It may not be yours, and yet it has a place in the scheme of things. If you give him five minutes, give him title to the five minutes.

If you offer someone a cookie, you give him the cookie. You release the cookie from your ownership. Now the cookie is his to eat. Let time be the cookie that you give to another.

Someone has an appointment with you. It may not be a formal meeting, but you are meeting with him. Do not hustle him or yourself.

Concede that impatience is a poor way to use up time. What are you actually in a hurry for? Do you really want the day to be done? Do you really want to make your bed before you sleep in it so you don't have to make it in the morning when you wake up?

I have to ask you: What is your insistence on time and that you be done with it as soon as possible? Take your time before you answer. I will wait.