Be patient; stand firm;
wait. Easily said—not so easily done. Patience is a virtue desired by all. And
yes, we all want it right now! But life doesn’t always operate according to our
time frame or our demands.
I was very impressed by
John Force’s interview following his (first-for-the-year) Bristol victory—a race that itself had to be
scheduled a second time. John didn’t merely win a race. He learned a huge
lesson regarding patience and attitude.
Patience is a difficult
issue as it relates to our fast-paced sport of championship drag racing.
Although it is a virtue highly regarded by many, it is still difficult to
relate to patience in our “pedal to the metal” approach to life. “You snooze,
you lose!” Every race fan knows that.
One of the quotes that
has greatly tempered my anxiousness over the years is a statement by the late
Mahalia Jackson, who once said …"Lord, you may not always come when I call
you, but I know you'll always be on time!" Right on, Miss Mahalia. That quote has always spoken volumes to me
during my moments of impatience.
Think about a farmer.
Farming requires a tremendous amount of patience. But have you ever noticed how
a farmer learns to wait. Does the farmer sit around doing nothing until it’s
time for harvest? No. Waiting to a farmer means actively tending to business
and constantly maintaining his fields and crops. There is an ongoing
preparation for the coming harvest. To a farmer, waiting with patience is by no
means passive.