We live in a world of instant gratification. The world is literally at our fingertips and at the click of a button we can have anything, learn anything, ask anything and say anything. Sometimes it’s great, but other times…patience is best.

This month we have been working through transition as our kids are going back to school and we get back into a routine after summer. This is a good time to talk to our kids and ourselves about being patient.

Our phones, email, text messaging and social media sites are always blowing up and we have grown accustomed to answering. I remember when the actual phone on the wall used to ring during dinner and we would let it ring. It wasn’t a catastrophe if we didn’t answer. It was more important to just be present with your family. When was the last time you sat with your friends or family and were totally present? Let me ask it another way. When was the last time you sat down with family or friends and you didn’t get ahead of yourself? You know, you weren’t thinking about the things you needed to do tomorrow or next week. Try it, you might find that you actually enjoy being present with the people in your life. You might even learn something.

Or how about this one? What if you wanted to say something to someone good or bad and you had to actually talk to them face to face, talk to them on the phone, maybe even send them a note in the mail? Now, I know all of these things sound ridiculous to our kids and maybe even us, but they have value. Why? Because they take thought and patience.

It’s easy to blast someone on their Facebook page or send a nasty note via text message. It’s not easy to pick up the phone, hear their voice and be that nasty. It’s definitely not easy to wait and see them face to face. Something happens to us. Suddenly, the other person is not just the object of our anger, but another human being who has feelings.

We become more human.

We begin to soften, become more diplomatic and sometimes we realize we really aren’t angry, we are just hurt. Let’s take the time to figure out how we feel and maybe give the other person a little grace. Parents have been teaching their kids to think before they speak forever and somewhere in the last few years we have forgotten this message.

It’s time to stop and breathe. It’s time to be present. It’s time to give a little grace.

This week’s life lesson? Let’s learn some patience.

Sunshine & Sarcasm,

Lowi & G