patience – Ruthann M. Wilson

Patience is more than waiting. It is the deeper work of trusting the timing of life’s unfoldment. Discernment helps us see the path forward. Patience helps us trust the movement from where we are to where we want to be.

Like the fern pictured here, its opening unfolds in an unhurried way. Even a nearly formed frond holds a small curl at the tip, a subtle reminder that unfolding happens in its own time.

My understanding and appreciation of patience has changed over time. I had very little patience in my younger years. I was constantly looking forward to the next milestone on the road to adulthood, then the next milestone out of college, then the next milestone in my career, and so on. What I learned along the way was that looking forward to the next thing kept me from being present and trusting that life would unfold, not always in my timing but in divine timing.

I also learned that patience isn’t passive waiting. It is listening. It is preparing. It is adjusting. It is trusting. It is moving with what calls us.

Over time, I began to understand patience in a deeper way.

Patience is the inner steadiness that allows us to hold space for what is becoming. It is the ability to stay grounded when clarity or progress feels slow, or when the next step has not yet revealed itself. Patience is not waiting for life to happen. It is engaging with life as it unfolds. It is responding to what has been quietly calling us.

When we trust the timing of life, we release the pressure to know what’s ahead or control the outcome. It keeps us open to what is unfolding, when we can’t see where it is leading. We stop pushing for answers that are not ready. We stop forcing outcomes that are not ours to shape. And we cultivate inner peace along the way with what is unfolding.

Patience enables us to stay present to the life that is unfolding within and around us.

A Question to Sit With

Where in your life are you being invited to practice patience, not as waiting but as a steadier way of being with what is unfolding?

Thank you for pausing here.

This reflection follows earlier pieces on discernment and the space between.
Discernment: A Quiet Strength in a Noisy World
The Space Between: Navigating the Inner Work of Transition

If this reflection speaks to you, I would love to hear what resonates for you. If it feels meaningful, you’re welcome to share the reflection with someone who might appreciate it.

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When you’re ready to explore more deeply, Be True to You: A Practical Guide to Pursuing an Authentic Path can be a companion in discovering what truly matters to you, and Clearing: A 28-Day Practice of Making Room for What Is True Now can be a companion in creating space for what is true for you now.

Warmly,
Ruthann

Copyright © Ruthann M. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.

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“Let silence take you to the core of your life.”

—Rumi

When I was growing up, my mom used to make me and my siblings spend time alone on a regular basis. She felt it was important for us to learn to enjoy our own company and not feel compelled to fill our time with other people or activities to be content and happy.

Spending time alone was never an issue for me. I am an introvert by nature and quiet time alone is how I recharge and reenergize. I looked forward to and enjoyed my time alone.

As I look back on my childhood, I feel a deep sense of gratitude to my mom for laying the foundation for what has proven to be a very important daily practice, time alone in silence to cultivate patience, peace of mind, and trust in the process of being internally guided.

If you don’t already have a regular practice of spending time alone in silence, I encourage you to create time in your day to be still and silent. Strive for 15-20 minutes in silence each day.

If sitting in silence is new to you, start small. Take five minutes or ten minutes out of your day. Set a timer so that you can be fully present to the moment and not watching the clock. You may want to consider using your breath as a focal point for your time in silence. When the timer goes off, bring your quiet time to a close in a spirit of gratitude for the gift of silence. Capture your experience of going within in a journal or notebook.

In the beginning, the benefits of spending time in silence may not be obvious, however, as you continue with this practice, I believe you will feel a deeper sense of peace, calm, balance, and openness to inner guidance. Give yourself the gift of silence.

Thank you for pausing here. If my writing has offered meaningful insight or sparked a shift in you, I would be honored to hear what stayed with you.

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All the best,
Ruthann