MK’s Reflections: Patience

Mary Kate Kopec. Love and Big Hugs!

MK’s Reflections: Patience

Beautiful Blossom,

Maybe you can relate.

My honeybun tells me, “You have to have patience.”

But, … but.  I want it now!

Sometimes we’re talking little stuff, like landscaping and wanting to get my flowers in to see the beauty … but it’s too late in the season.  Or I want to go find some pretty rocks to decorate with, but that would mean being around people.

Sometimes we’re talking big stuff, like I keep trying so hard to wellness myself into feeling well again … but it’s taking fooooooooooooorrrrrreeeeeevvvvvvvver!  Being a girl is way harder than it looks!  Hormones – gah!

Something I’m learning in pandemic times is patience. 

With my health compromised and the risk of being around people who may not be vaccinated or willing to wear a mask has made my life one of contact-free, stay-at-home … and all the limitations that come with it.

Prepandemic, going to grocery store was easy.  Going anywhere was easy.

Now, I go almost nowhere.  To the doctors for medically necessary appointments, and that’s about it.  And even then, I’m putting things off that don’t outweigh the possibility of getting sick.

Prepandemic, the world was nicer.  It’s not so nice these days.  Which, when you are building a house, needing landscaping, needing skilled laborers to help and assist … comes with intimidation, frustration, and a desire to DIY as much as possible.

Prepandemic, we didn’t have supply chain challenges and supply shortages.  Now we stock up and wait when there’s no stock.

 

Mary Kate Kopec. Love and Big Hugs!

Patience.

I’ve learned patience.

Where once I would simply run out and get that “thing,” now, if I can’t order it, I don’t get it.  And even if I can order it, I wait for it to arrive.

The gift of this is I’ve learned the value of need vs wantI’ve learned the difference between immediacy, and that which can wait.  I’ve gained independence and self-sufficiency through home growing food to reduce my reliance on grocery store supplies, among many other new ways of living, like simply learning to consume less – need vs want. 

It’s the great silver lining to facing challenges.  With open eyes, thought, and reflection, we can learn a lot and adapt.  We grow.  We get better.

I’d gotten used to the convenience and ease of “just running out to get ‘it.'”  Our culture focuses on making our lives easier, more convenient.  But those are only two values in a very complex equation of living life.

  • Patience.
  • Kindness.
  • Understanding the difference between need vs want.
  • Accepting we cannot control the world around us, but we can adapt and grow and find what works best for us.

May we all find the patience we need to get through this pandemic well, healthy, and safe.  May we remember kindness helps foster community and positive connectivity, and engage kindness as our MO.  May we come to see that need is more important than want and change our focus to what we need.  May we accept the challenge before us and use this time to grow and adapt.  May the love in our hearts shine through brightly!

I wish you a wonderful day filled with love, big hugs, laughter, and goodness in your belly and your heart!

Tower Garden by Juice Plus+. Mary Kate Kopec. Love and Big Hugs!