Compassion, Patience, and Forgiveness

Compassion, patience and forgiveness, three simple words – three simple acts. All of these should be easy, and yet, at times they can be the most difficult.

When life is good and things are going along smoothly, finding compassion and patience for those who are struggling seems effortless. We have no difficulty understanding what they are going through and can be patient with them as they struggle. Our capacity to forgive is plentiful.

Then there will be times when the road gets bumpy and obstacles will be put in our way. Out of nowhere life will change and our patience, compassion and forgiveness will be tested. As much as we try to be one who can handle any situation with ease, we will stumble as all humans do.

In order to accept and adjust to life changes, we must gain an understanding of the issue at hand. Without that knowledge we can become impatient and short with others without even being aware of it. Time will teach us to have the patience and compassion to respond in a calmer way, and to forgive when we realize they have no control over some things.

We also must have patience and compassion for ourselves as we learn to navigate unchartered waters. We are not perfect and we must discover ways to live in a new and unfamiliar world. We also need to forgive ourselves when we falter on this path. If we can forgive our shortcomings the road will be less tumultuous as time goes on, and the unfamiliar will become familiar, giving us the ability to be more flexible.

At some point each one of us will be thrown a curve ball on our journey through life. Our expectations and dreams that have been so well planned will be sidelined in a matter of minutes. Initially it can feel like our world has stopped and cannot recover, however, we will need to change our mindset in order to adapt to a different dream. Although it is not what we had envisioned, our alternative dreams can still lead to a full and happy life.

When the unexpected comes along, we need to remember to have compassion, patience, and forgiveness not only for those in our lives, but also for ourselves.