“Accept the pace of nature. Her secret is patience.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day. A.A. Milne
Patience – it’s one of those traits that’s often undervalued and yet it’s a quiet strength that many of us probably wish we had more of. I know I do! As sheltering at home lingers on and days grow longer, staying inside and isolated takes more endurance, more patience. And changing what needs to be changed in the larger world will also demand it.
And the same is true, to my mind, when it comes to writing. Patience required! So let’s unpack this quality a bit. My handy Century Dictionary offers some help. It defines it as “calm and uncomplaining endurance;” “quiet perseverance;” “forbearance, or tolerance;” “patient willingness to wait.” How can any or all of these support our writing?
Calm and uncomplaining endurance – Sometimes getting where we want to go in our writing life is all about staying calm and enduring what comes our way. Staying the course we’ve set for ourselves despite confusion, frustration, and rejection. Coming to the page day after day, when we don’t seem to be making progress. And doing it all without complaining – remembering that having the time and space to write is a precious gift.
Quiet perseverance – Surely there’s no greater asset in the writing game than perseverance – the drive and willingness to push forward in spite of whatever pitfalls we face or circumstances life throws our way. “Don’t quit, can’t fail” is one way to capture this vital quality. With it, we can overcome anything; without it, we’re likely to fold our tents too soon when we hit resistance.
Tolerance – Our ability to absorb and accept the problems and we face isn’t something we pay much attention to most of the time. Yet our tolerance level – how much we are willing and able to handle when we hit rough patches has a lot to do with our success.
Willingness to wait – We live in a world of instant access to information and quick fixes. Everything around us seems to shout “get it now,” “you need this,” “this will make your life better right away.” Resisting all this “nowness” and remembering that you can rush creativity can be hard. Waiting is never easy. And yet, sometimes that’s exactly what’s called for in our writing. We need to wait for ideas to ripen, for a new plot line to develop, for a better way to express something, or for a new character to emerge.
“Accept the pace of nature. Her secret is patience.” Powerful wisdom to apply as we all write on.
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Hi Karin
. I am writing this from my new smart phone
Steve and I go out whenever the weather permits. Studies show that staying indoors for any length of time is unhealthy.
Hi Jackie,
You are so right. Even while sheltering at home, we can enjoy nature and get outside for a while by taking walks. I especially love the crisp fall weather we’re having now!
Write on,
Karin
When you stay indoors for any length of time , your immune system is compromised. When you go outside, you have a greater chance of getting sick. Steve and I see droves of people outside. Some are in parks playing sports
Hi Jackie,
Yes, I know — knowing the safest thing to do is so challenging right now. I just try
to take an early walk every day where I know there aren’t many people. Getting
out is important, but avoiding people in big crowds is also wise right now. May you
and Steve and all my cherished KWD readers and people everywhere all be safe and protected. And strong and healthy.
Write on,
Karin
A blessing to read this today. We are amid the virus, national turmoil and a wildfire here in the mountains north of Tucson. I remind myself of patience and trust in the goodness of life.
Hi Ethel,
So good to hear from you — and I hope you are well and sheltering at home in Tucson! Thank you for your kind words about this post — I’m so happy my words touched you — yes, there is so much going on and it is so important to remember to find the patience to endure and try to understand and work and to “trust in the goodness of life,” as you said so beautifully. May you ad yous be safe and protected.
Write on,
Karin
Hi Karin,
I have had your page open on my phone for three days straight because your insights and encouragement mean so much to me. Thanks for all you do and share!
Hi Mike,
Thanks so much for your wonderful note — your kind words mean so much to me! I am so glad my posts are encouraging and supporting you — that’s what KWD is all about and your words encourage me to keep going and sharing!