Morning rush hour begins shortly before six in the morning and lasts until after ten. Afternoon rush begins at three in the afternoon and doesn't dissipate until after seven. In between, from eleven until one thirty, there is a mid day rush as wage slaves dash from their offices to various commercial establishments to do personal business or meet friends for lunch. Rain, snow, or a single accident can easily snarl things until mid night.
Traffic is constant; delays never cease.
Even where I live, twenty-five miles west of the city, delays are a fact of life.
A friend recently posted "God bless all of you who have to drive Route 7 West every day during rush hour. I do not have the patience for this traffic."
Actually, there is no choice but to have patience.
Where you're stuck in traffic, where you find yourself is pretty much where you are and where you're going to be until things move. If you're stuck, you will remain stuck.
When "stuck" happens, you are forced to be patient. But just because you're stuck doesn't mean there are no options. You're not able to change the traffic, but you can change how you react to the traffic.
When you're stuck, you have an opportunity to practice patience. You can practice patience either by sitting stewing in your own juices or you can accept the delay with grace, understanding, an a bit of resignation. You can practice developing anger and resentment, or you can practice developing calm.
Choose the first option and you will probably arrive at your destination late. You will also arrive feeling harassed, bothered, and bedeviled, frayed, and frazzled.
Or choose the second option, relax and go with the flow. You will be developing the habit of patience. You will still probably arrive late, but your frame of mind will be calmer, more relaxed and pleasant, more ready for whatever else your day holds in store.
I've done it both ways, and I know.
The choice is yours.
The next time you find yourself stuck in traffic or elsewhere, how will you choose to practice patience?
