LETTERS: IMPATIENCE IS EVERYWHERE

To the editor:

I tend to become a bit impatient for results. There are those moments or even hours in which a so-called patient waits without patience for medical attention or in some other office waits for a signature or some kind of stamp of approval. Some husbands wait impatiently while their wives are shopping, thinking of the time they are wasting when they could be doing something more important, perhaps playing golf.

We tend to say that our neighbor to the south is lazy, spending too much time under a sombrero or taking a siesta under a shade tree, while he may sit quietly sipping his fine wine and claim that we North Americans all too often gulp it down simply to escape the harsh realities of life.

Our impatience for success and achievement has brought about greater ambition and brought our country the high standard of life we enjoy. Great progress has been made, and we are justifiable proud. We know that our impatience has helped to make our country great, but our haste may make for waste and deny us the opportunity to enjoy the blessings which are ours. But at times we may be so eager to excel that there is little time to enjoy what we think we have accomplished.

In South America in a game of soccer, the referee will not call the ball out of bounds unless it takes a little while to retrieve it. Why interrupt the smooth flow of the game? Why the big hurry anyway?

Few of us enjoy the patience of Job. A few weeks ago I was asked to say something in a meeting. The time suggested was five minutes. My wife said I took eight minutes. That is life. We are here for five minutes, years or decades, but it seems so short.

Remember how as children we could hardly wait for Christmas or our birthdays to come so we could celebrate? Time didn't seem to move. One of our children used to go to be early the night before her birthday, since it seemed it would arrive sooner. Later in life it seems that the years go by so quickly even if we wonder how long they will last.

We ask why things are not done on time. There are always deadlines or appointments to be met. In the realm of sports, baseball begins before basketball has finished its season. Football begins before the summer sports are over.

We need to take time to smell the roses, to see the fall colors, the relax and enjoy the family, to listen attentively to those around us and to help those who may be in need. We need to discover that balance between patience and impatience to appreciate life to the fullest.

IVAN NOTHDURFT

Cape Girardeau