The reason we should not blame people who lack patience is that patience itself is a gift, a virtue either received by grace or cultivated through nurture. Those who do not possess it can only develop it through mentorship, guidance, or the steady hand of parents and guardians who model restraint and endurance.
Consider, for instance, a child or even an adult who remains calm in the face of trials and tribulations. Such composure is not accidental; it is either an innate gift or the fruit of careful upbringing. In both cases, patience is not a passive trait but a learnt discipline, a sign of inner strength that steadies the soul amid life’s storms.
Yet, it is troubling that we now live in a generation where only a few seem to possess this virtue. Has God ceased to bestow patience as freely as before, or are we witnessing the consequences of broken homes and failed parenting?
A few days ago, during a discussion with a friend, he remarked that we are in serious trouble. According to him, teenagers today have become increasingly impatient, particularly in matters concerning their comfort and desires. They do not want explanations or delays. Whether or not their parents have the means is of little concern to them. What matters is that their needs must be met immediately, as though life owes them constant convenience.
This same spirit of impatience seeps into adulthood. Many no longer care for their aged parents as once was the custom. In the professional world, especially in the medical field, we see people quick to give up on patients, sometimes allowing them to die simply to ease their workload. How else can we explain the growing indifference and coldness that now pervade our hospitals?
We have, unfortunately, raised a generation of impatient individuals who are also void of empathy-a dangerous combination that threatens to rip apart the fabric that holds humanity together. The results of impatience are seen everywhere in broken relationships, failing businesses, and the increasing tide of moral decay, such as prostitution, armed robbery, and internet fraud, across our society.
The time has come for parents and guardians to take a conscious stand. Patience has to be learned, it has to be modelled, it has to be nurtured. It’s in the moral and emotional training of each child that it needs to be inculcated. Only then can we rebuild a generation capable of waiting, enduring, and loving intensely.
Five Key Takeaways
1. Patience is both a divine gift and a virtue that could be nurtured through guidance and upbringing.
2. The growing impatience in today’s generation is a reflection of the consequences of poor moral and parental guidance.
3. Impatience often leads to a lack of empathy and indifference towards others’ sufferings.
4. The lack of patience weakens relationships, disrupts trust, and disintegrates the values of society.
5. Parents and guardians must intentionally model and teach patience as a lasting moral virtue.
© Chinedu Vincent Okoro is a British Council Action Research grantee, Rotarian, educator, poet, and advocate for social change, peace, and mental health. He holds a Master of Education in Advanced Teaching from the University of the People, Pasadena, California, USA. He writes from Olumawu School, Abuja.
