PATIENCE & HUMILITY: THE GREATEST VIRTUES, YET MOST DIFFICULT TO ACQUIRE
August 7, 2023
Abdulwarees Solanke
What is a virtue? A virtue is a positive quality innate in a person. The opposite is of a virtue is vice. Every virtue, as a positive has its negatives If you are qualified with the virtue of SINCERITY, you must never be associated with anything that suggests HYPOCRISY. Yet, we know that in the world of today, hypocrisy seems to have replaced sincerity in the bid for survival.
Another virtue is INTEGRITY. Integrity is associated with TRUST, INCORRUPTIBILITY. But our world of today only thrives on CORRUPTION.
Another virtue that should be praised is COURAGE, which is the ability to stand up to face any challenge, obstacle or person not caring whose horse is gored.
The opposite of courage is cowardice, a vice that suggests fickleness which every man of honour should never be associated with.
Now, there are two others I will like to mention. Most other virtues bring out your best. But these other two control and moderate you. They calm you. They give you restraint. They are your police. They prevent you from being an extremist in life. They give you balance in life. They assist you to always reflect on your actions before, during or after you have taken them. When you have them, you master your emotions and you become a master in life. Ultimately, you control all other virtues. These are the VIRTUES OF PATIENCE AND HUMILITY.
The irony about virtues is that when been exhibited, people tend to misconstrue, so misunderstand them. For instance, a man of courage may be seen to be arrogant and uncaring. They may accuse him of showing off, of too know.
In our society today, integrity, incorruptibility, truth are taken to be vices. In many instances, those who demonstrate them are subjected to attacks, abuses, and are in fact isolated.
Same goes for those who are patient and humble as they are of victims of denial and exploitation in the system. But patience and humility are indeed the real strength of a man. Patience and humility keep you steadfast, though patience and humility tend to be seen as stupidity. But the man of patience and humility is the real man of courage because they assist you to overcome many challenges or cope with tribulations. No storm of life overcomes the patient and the humble. They rather swim and float with turbulence.
With patience and humility you also learn discretion in life. Your choices are careful but deliberate. You develop great insight and have tremendous foresight. Your actions are measured and your tendency to be unnecessarily celebratory are mellowed. The beauty of patience and humility is that pain and adversity, challenges, tribulations and trials have little meaning to you as you take life with equanimity.
Most humble and patient people are stoics. They are stoical in orientation, with large heart and limitless coping capacity. Ultimately, the patient and the humble almost always remaining the last man standing in critical situations. They often the VICTORS IN THE BATTLE OF LIFE.
Congratulations if you’re associated with PATIENCE AND HUMILITY. But I tell you dear beloved ones THEY ARE THE GREATEST VIRTUE, YET MOST DIFFICULT TO ACQUIRE
At Kiin Media we promote all that’s good to humanity and worthy of emulation hence aligning with this piece which stands to work on the attitudinal changes the society seriously yearn for, for a more progressive, developed and human friendly larger society.