In Others’ Words: Active Patience

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, perspective, Quotes 6 Comments

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I spent part of Sunday evening at the Olympic Training Center watching the awards ceremony for the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship, where the U.S.A. Men’s Volleyball took the gold medal.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered the upper part of the gymnasium wall decorated with quotes. QUOTES.

While we waited for the ceremony to start, I alternated between taking pictures of the team — and my daughter CJ’s favorite player — and taking pictures of a few of my favorite quotes.

The quote about patience is causing me to reframe my definition of the word. So often I think of patience as sitting around and waiting for something to happen … you know, not doing much until somebody else does something. But now I’m thinking of how patience can be a re-action to something or someone else. 

  • When confronted with a challenging opponent, one that causes your team to fall behind in a set, you react with patience. You play your game, both physically and mentally, which means you don’t loose your cool and you don’t pout.
  • When you face an irritating opponent on the other side of the net, you do not react in kind because that is not good sportsmanship. You are even-tempered and steady — and your focus is on playing the game.

And just for fun, this is my daughter with Matt Anderson of the U.S.A. Men’s Volleyball Team — her favorite player.

In Your Words: How do you see patience as an action?

[ctt template=”8″ link=”IePpS” via=”yes” ]In Others\’ Words: Active Patience http://wp.me/p63waO-2qd #quotes #athletes [/ctt] [ctt template=”8″ link=”7aXfG” via=”yes” ]\”Patience is also a form of action.\” http://wp.me/p63waO-2qd #quotes #sports [/ctt]

 

 

 

 

 

Comments 6

  1. As I paradoxically build strength in a drastically failing body, I have learned that the increased reps I want to add will come in time.

    If I push for them now, I risk hurting a joint or muscle, and setting myself back. But it I wait a week, two weeks, and continue with the planned routine, I WILL get there.

    Pain is weakness forced from the body, and the blood I puke makes the grass grow green.

    T2020

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  2. Beth, I loved this post. I have thought of waiting as an action for years. But patience? It never occurred to me in the way you shared it here. But you’re right. We don’t just wait around for someone else to act or something else to happen before we move forward again. We can make patience productive–both spiritually and physically.

    We can be seeking God, working on other things, waiting with anticipation, not apathy.

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