Love is Patient

“Love is patient.” ~ 1 Corinthians

“To excel in anything you have to have patience; but if you want to love, patience is a necessity…Fortunately, love is our natural state, and patience is something that everybody can learn.” ~ Eknath Easwaran

“If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all.” ~ Michelangelo“

“We don’t rise to the occasion, we fall to the level of our training.” ~ Ryan Holiday

“The more we develop a skill circuit, the less we’re aware that we’re using it. We’re built to make skills automatic, to stash them in our unconscious mind…It creates a powerfully convincing illusion: a skill once gained, feels utterly natural, as if it’s something we’ve always possessed.” ~ Daniel Coyle

Practice over a long time turns to second nature.” ~ Arius Didymus

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I run into the same pattern over and over again.

Frequently, I see connections between books I’m reading.

Themes blend together.

Wisdom seems to find a way to present itself.

Repeatedly.

It seems to be a necessary path.

We, the readers, need these connections.

Wisdom knows this.

Love knows this.

Take a moment to look at these quotes.

The patterns I've found in my readings this morning.

These wise words regarding love and patience and practice.

It takes time to connect with this love deep within us.

So love patiently waits for us to be ready.

It reveals itself.

Then it ignites us.

Love supplies the energy we need to practice.

The practice, over time, translates to deep love.

Forward progress.

There is, however, an illusion.

That of mastery.

Love is hard-wired deep within us.

But talent and skill require attention.

They require hard-earned practice.

This is the illusion.

That loves comes naturally.

And though it is part of our essence, it requires work.

It naturally lies within us, and we "approach" mastery.

But love is active and living.

Love must be cultivated and nurtured over time.

We must attend to and practice love.

Like a skilled carpenter practices their craft.

Like a wise gardener nurturing their plants.

Love is indeed patient.

As we must learn to be patient too.

As we practice and our true nature of love reveals itself.

And it may appear to be second nature.

But we know it takes time to practice and nurture.

It is patient, and it takes patience.

Let’s put this wisdom into daily practice today as we love.

Patiently.