Patience asks us to live the moment to the fullest, to be completely present to the moment, to taste the here and now, to be where we are. When we are impatient we try to get away from where we are. We behave as if the real thing will happen tomorrow, later, and somewhere else. Let's be patient and trust that the treasure we look for is hidden in the ground on which we stand.
Interpretation
Patience is about embracing the present moment instead of seeking fulfillment in the future.
This quote by Henri Nouwen emphasizes the value of patience and being fully present in our current circumstances. It suggests that impatience leads us to overlook the richness of our experiences in the moment, often making us believe that our true happiness or fulfillment lies in a distant future. Nouwen encourages us to cultivate patience and trust that what we seek is already available to us in our present situation, urging us to appreciate the here and now.
In practice
Using this quote in a motivational speech to inspire an audience to appreciate their current situation.
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It is a far, far better thing to have a firm anchor in nonsense than to put out on the troubled seas of thought.
If you seek to carry no other crosses but those whose reason you understand, perfection is not for you.
Some problems are so complex that you have to be highly intelligent and well informed just to be undecided about them.
Do what's right. Be on time, be polite, and be honest; remain free from drugs; and if you have any questions, get out your Bible. 2. Do your best. Mediocrity is unacceptable when you are capable of doing better. 3. Treat others as you want to be treated. Practice love and understanding.
The preaching of divines helps to preserve well-inclined men in the course of virtue, but seldom or ever reclaims the vicious.
Mistakes are a part of the dues one pays for a full life.
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