Is Patience Still a Virtue?

It got me. The Northern Virginia need for instant gratification got ahold of me. Where did it happen? Of all places, the garden center.

An epidemic has hit my street with a boom of trees being planted by my neighbors. Not wanting to be left out, I took my son to the garden center. My plan was to pick out two smaller trees that I could lug home and plant myself. Eventually they would be large enough to provide some shade and protection from the late day sun on the back of the house.I walked through the rows and rows of trees when I came upon a sign advertising a special on tree installation. The offer was for 10% off the installation charge. My eyes got big, and I was drawn to this 16 foot maple.

I later found out that charge was the same as the cost of the tree. So right away you are at double the price. This doesn’t include planting soil, mulch and an expensive delivery charge which are all required. What did my lack of patience cost me? It has cost me 7 times the price of a small tree.

But, I did gain a realization that I need to make sure that I don’t get caught up in this keep busy mentality that consumes many around me. We rush to work, rush home. Well, we would if weren’t stuck in traffic with all the others doing the same thing. We book our children from dawn until the evening with school, after-school activities, sports and whatever else we can find for them to do. I am going to do a better job of taking the time to smell the flowers. I am going to play soccer with my daughter in the yard, build towers with my son and enjoy a glass of wine in the evening with my wife.

I once heard the saying, “The days are long, but the years are short.”

There will come a time when my kids won’t think I am fun anymore. My wife and I won’t have time together forever. I don’t want to look back and wish I had done more with them.