Impatience is Ego's Sidekick

Standing at the checkout counter in the supermarket I noticed the older gentleman behind me had less items than me.  I asked him to move ahead of the line.  He said it wasn’t that much of a difference.  He had to wait regardless since the gentleman before me had a lot.  And this began our conversation:Man:  I have to learn to acquire patience.  This is a good opportunity.Me, emptying out my cart:  Yeah, me too!  I have very little.Man:  I want things done yesterday.  I guess it’s a lifetime of learning.Me nodding in agreement:  Boy, do I know it!Man:  I once asked my Pastor how I could learn to be more patient and he said to continue asking God.  The more I ask God the more tribulations He would place in my path to learn to acquire patience.Me:  Heck, I’m gonna stop asking for patience.  I don’t need any more tribulations!We both laughed.  I checked out and said my goodbye.I walked to the car remembering a similar movie line from Evan Almighty when God (played by Morgan Freeman) says to Evan’s wife, “Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient?”I needed the reminder.  I needed to accept that the more I ask for patience the bigger the opportunity to be patient.  I have decided to let the chips fall in place.  I don’t require things yesterday.  I won’t require them right now.  I must remember that everything happens in perfect timing.  Impatience is the ego’s sidekick.  It will twist and turn to get you in trouble like a spoiled child.  We place timing and expectations in matters that are out of our control.   I am famous for these moments of expectations.  I can honestly admit that patience is not a virtue in my personality.  It is also the one of things I dislike in others.  We project the characteristics that are disliked in other people as we cannot accept them in ourselves.As I was loading the car with the groceries the gentleman passed by and thanked me.  I turned and smiled thanking him.  He had been the catalyst to appreciate the lesson for the day.  Letting go and surrendering to the Divine is a lot easier when synchronicity is present.  The moment he waved I realized I had met a little angel to answer the day’s concerns.  Don’t you love when that happens?