Quality takes patience

For the first 30 years of my life, I was always around horses of one kind or another, with most being quarter horses and usually 2 years old or older. I remember Dad bought a couple of 2-year-olds down by Tryon, which had never been handled. Mine was a sorrel mare, which turned out pretty good, while Mick's gelding could really buck. He could "sunfish." (Google that!) I think Bradley ended up with him. But one thing I remember is at times you would tie the saddled horses up while doing some ground work and they would just stand there patiently waiting. They would stand with one hind foot on the ground but no weight on it and then trade with the other hind foot. Patiently waiting. I wonder if in the process of breaking or training the horse to ride maybe they learned manners and patience.

I drive slow and hardly ever hurry. If I ever get a ticket it will be for going too slow. An old friend of mine used to say that if I kept a vehicle very long I'd carbon up the motor and he'd have to borrow it and blow the cobs out on a regular basis. If Mike was still around I'd tell him it hasn't happened! I don't know how many times I've been driving down the road and some driver would get behind me and be in a toot. He'd drive up close almost touching my bumper. Eventually he'd pass, race off and at the next light I'd be right behind him. Little if any patience. But this is our world today. They are even trying to make coffee fast. It doesn't work. A good cup of coffee takes time to brew. Patience produces rewards.

Marge and I were in Cape Girardeau the other day and we stopped for a chicken pie which we really enjoy! When we got the drinks, on the side of the cup it said: "Get the App -- Skip the Wait." Now honestly how much time does it save to fill a cup with iced tea or fill an order? Bet at the most 5 minutes. Slow down! Enjoy life! Enjoy the meal! Patience!

It's been several years since we were in Nebraska, but the one thing Marge and I remember is those who live in the Sandhills move a lot slower than even Marge and I do anymore. Life is at a much slower pace. Friends might stop and just visit without an appointment. Seems like down here we make appointments to even visit over coffee. That's sad but true. But the worst part of this whole state of humanity is our kids seem to be worse than we adults are. If you were to tell them to "wait" or "show patience" they'd wonder what the word "wait" and "patience" meant.

But maybe we ought to accept part of the blame. When we walk into a restaurant do we want a meal prepared quickly or a quality meal prepared right? Hard to do both! When we stop and get a cream horn, I want fluffy crust and gooey inside it. These take time and patience. Or when we stop for an ice cream cone I want to see where they stacked the ice cream up till it is almost falling over. Or I get a cup of coffee and it smells fresh like it was just brewed rather than yesterday's burned leftovers.

Patience for me means not getting in a huff when it takes longer than expected. Patience means giving others the benefit of the doubt. Patience means it's OK if it takes two or three or even more time than it should.

This Christmas season might be the time to refuse to buy second rate "stuff" and go for real quality. Quality work from a patient craftsman. What if the restaurant you frequent advertised that starting today their emphasis was going to be quality and not speed nor giant portions. Quality usually takes patience.