The Power of Patience

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Mar 9, 1911

The Power of Patience

The steam that is let off never runs anything. It is the repression and control of it that makes it a power in mechanics. In the same way, the impatient person fizzes and fumes and amounts to nothing at all. In a day when men all seem to fear poverty above every other ill, it is well to remember Shakespeare’s golden words, “How poor are they that have not patience!” and to beware of falling into such destitution.

The busy woman of the household, above all other human beings, perhaps, needs patience as her daily power. It seems to be the business of every grown-up and every child in the average family to hurry and to distract the early morning hours of the housewife. Only the woman who learns how to keep herself perfectly in hand can train them all to behave otherwise, and preserve her own freshness of spirit meanwhile. Patience, and patience alone, makes peace out of a worrying day.

Irritation exhausts, both in its explosion and its reaction. Patience gathers and directs every inch of energy, and in the end makes itself respected by every one within its radius. When a patient person finally unlooses a righteous anger,—as occasionally is bound to happen,—definite things are usually accomplished, and transgressors take it to heart. For patience is not weakness. It is controlled strength and solid character. The woman who would be a power must practise patience, hard and long; but every ounce of it will make steam pressure when the time comes.—Harper’s Bazar.