"Thank you sir may I have another" A lesson in patience

I am by nature, impatient.   It is a fault and I know I should be more patient with others and myself.  I believe that this flaw in me is the very reason it takes me so long to get home on the days I work.  Sitting in traffic is, I believe a lesson, given to me from God himself.

I have learned that to be happy in life, we should seek out positive things in events that occur.  For instance, if your running late for work, and you can't go any faster because the trash collector has parked dead center of the street, you should think, "thank goodness, there is trash collection, or else this trash would pile up here on the road".  This truly works, if you don't believe me, try it for a month, it will change you.  I have seen it work for me many times, but the challenge is greatest for me to find the positive when my patience is being tested.

I do anything to avoid waiting around, wasting precious moments.  I make my appointments for car maintenance, doctors, hair cuts, tests and procedures the very first of the day if at all possible, so I don't have to wait.  I prefer to grocery shop in the wee dark hours of the morning, so I don't have to wait.  I love shopping for clothes and things like that on line, because I don't have to wait.

Today, I received another lesson in patience.  I needed to get a new car battery.  I was told in the summer that the life of the battery was at 40%, and I should consider a new battery.  Well, if I have 40% left in a tube of toothpaste, I'm not throwing it away just yet.  I decided I could probably get a little more out of that battery.  This was all fine and good until winter finally appeared.  In Cincinnati, winter often doesn't appear gradually.  One minute it is spring like, next minute, its 9 degrees outside.

I had a hard time starting my car on three occasions.  I knew I needed a battery for the car, but I didn't want someone to have to put the battery in when it was freezing outside or raining.  So, that moment was this morning around 11am.  I took my car to the AutoZone by my house.  I like AutoZone.  You buy the battery and they install it for you.  The battery comes with a warranty.   They also donate to local causes, like the Marching Band festival.

So I go to AutoZone and I had to wait for someone to wait on me.  It was crowded in there.  Then I see him, a little old man.  I think to myself, "oh no, I hope I don't get him."  From my thoughts to God's ear.  The man says, "can I help you?"  I think to myself, oh boy! I sigh, then step forward,  "yes, I need a battery for my car, and I need someone to install it."  He asked me about the kind of car I have, the year, the model, then if I bought the last battery there, I had.  He went out to see the size of the battery, then back inside to check if there was a warranty, there wasn't.  I bought the last battery in November of 2009.  He collected the new battery, the cart with all the necessary tools.  He put on his coat.  We carefully towed the cart out to the parking lot.  He slowly applied the safety googles, the rubber bib and the rubber gloves and began about his work.

It was chilly out.  Not freezing like it had been two days earlier, but chilly.  I, in my infinite wisdom, did not wear a coat.  Just a jacket.  This would be okay, because it only takes a few minutes to change a car battery.  HA!!  Nope, it took 45 minutes to change my car battery!  Forty five minutes.  Forty! Five! Minutes!

It wasn't anything to do with my car, or the battery.   It was a slow, little old man.  He was kind and considerate.  The work was physically challenging.  And, it was cold.  I watched him work.  I helped him when I could.  Finally, another worker helped him, and the job was complete, and not a moment to soon, for I nearly froze to death.

My car now starts great!  This was, I believe another opportunity to practice patience.  I am grateful that I had the opportunity to interact with this kindly older man.  I am grateful the rain held off, so we didn't have to complete the job in the rain.  I am grateful that I have reliable transportation.  Lastly, I am grateful I didn't die of exposure in the parking lot of AutoZone.

The picture above is one of my dad.  He too is older.  He often times requires great patience.  I am grateful for the life he gave me and for the time I get to spend with him.