Patience is golden. It gives us pause rather than kneejerk reaction. It allows us to take a deep breath, and consider the consequences of getting angry — making us unhappy, bringing future problems, not to mention the harm to the recipient. Mindfulness is the key, paying attention to what is happening inside of us. When we sense or feel early signs of anger, like frustration, irritation, fast heartbeat, loud or soft speech, jitteriness, etc., we start to practice patience. We can think the other person is not happy. Why? Happy people do not provoke. It always takes two to tangle. Recognizing the other person’s unhappiness, we can understand the situation better. With practice we not only cultivate patience, but also compassion.
