Beautiful patience

Scriptures of the Semitic religions narrate a touching story of Jacob and his son Joseph. Jacob's other sons plot to destroy Joseph or have him banished. They get their father's permission to go out with Joseph, where they overpower him and lower him into a deep well. They return, present Joseph's torn shirt, and recount to their father a tale of a wolf having eaten Joseph. Jacob, devastated and saddened, exclaims, 'Beautiful patience.' This is the sort of patience where one does not complain; an expression of extreme grief where you seek solace in God, confident that He is merciful and will help you tide over your problems. God does intervene, and Jacob is rescued from the well by travellers in a caravan.

Ramayan is a powerful parable of the virtues of patience, perseverance and never losing faith. Ram is the epitome of patience in his stoic acceptance of exile, as are Sita and Bharat. In today's angry, impatient world, everybody seems to have forgotten the virtues of patience; it builds resilience, prevents impulsive reactions and helps in better decision-making.

As the celebrated Urdu poet Bashir Badr, who passed away recently, said, 'Patthar ke jigar valon gham me vo ravani hai/ khud raah bana lega behta hua paani hai' - O those with hearts of stone, there is such a flow/passion in this sorrow; the flowing water will make its own path.


Just as a flowing stream carves its path through hard rocks, patience and perseverance find a way through the most difficult times.