Patience Grasshopper

Master Po

Certain television shows and dialog phrases from my childhood still crop up in memory from time to time. In my mind, one such line was spoken by Master Po to the young student, Kwai Chang Kaine in the television series, Kung Fu... "Patience, Grasshopper."

Those same words have echoed in my mind for the past few days now, with an emphasis on the word "Patience". The virtue of patience is much needed in my life right now, as body energy reserves have been drained in a fight to overcome an infection.

Patience is also often required when confronted with other illnesses, like depression. Discouragement comes from wanting something specific without waiting. I want to be healed from this infection and from depression - and I want it now!! Placing our own desires on hold for any length of time is not pleasant, it requires that rare commodity... patience. I turn now to words of wisdom spoken a few years ago by one of the greatest men I have ever had an opportunity to meet...

Patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can—working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!

... Often the deep valleys of our present will be understood only by looking back on them from the mountains of our future experience. Often we can’t see the Lord’s hand in our lives until long after trials have passed. Often the most difficult times of our lives are essential building blocks that form the foundation of our character and pave the way to future opportunity, understanding, and happiness. (~Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Continue in Patience, May 2010)

There is a lesson to be learned from life... a foundation is being laid to hold a structure. One that my mortal vision cannot see clearly during this building phase - but it is a magnificent structure that the Master Planner has designed specifically for me.

All I need right now is... "Patience, Grasshopper".