I have been thinking a lot about what is going on today and which course of action might be the better choice… taking immediate action or continue being patient?

In doing some research, I came up with 8 benefits of action and 8 benefits of patience.

Benefits of Action:                

• Gets results
• Stops some from complaining
• Helps overcome fears
• Develops new skills
• Improves confidence
• Boosts satisfaction
• Minimizes regrets
• Inspires others

Benefits of Patience:

• Can bring positive rewards
• Helps make good decisions
• Allows all of us to work towards a goal
•  Gives us control of the situation
• Increases our tolerance
• Increases our tolerance
• Brings us hope
• Empowers a positive team spirit
• Leads to developing excellence

As with everything in life, the true answer is probably balance – a little of both.

An example that emulates both action and patience would be farming. Farming is a profession of hope. It is the very definition of patience. A farmer cannot hurry crops, no matter how hard he tries. When harvest time arrives, immediate action is required. Taking action at harvest, allows the farmer to maximize his return on investment. If the farmer is not prepared to harvest when the crop is ready those crops are lost to Mother nature.

Our family ran a truck garden on our small farm. Manual labor was provided, periodically, by prisoners of the county jail. Our local jail was not air conditioned. With summer temperatures routinely reaching 100 degrees with humidity of 90-100%. That place was an oven!

Dad always gave the prisoners a choice, sweat your sentence out in jail or sweat it out on the farm. They chose the farm! With my teenage brother and I working alongside them, we would quickly join our charges down by the creek, “taking a break” from the hot sun. This is where I had my first cigarette, learned to cuss, and other impressionable things my Mom did not appreciate. Since we were not incarcerated the two of us could go on soda runs for the prisoners to the welding shop across the street. Ray’s shop had ice cold Pepsi’s for 10 cents each! Patience… not Dads strength when he received Moms daily report of our actions.

Action is needed during planting season. Patience as the crops mature. Action at harvest time. Patience as the land rests for the next crop. Farming requires both action and patience. Balance. Exactly what is needed now.