September - by Rudyard Kipling

September

by

Rudyard Kipling

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At dawn there was a murmur in the trees,
A ripple on the tank, and in the air
Presage of coming coolness -- everywhere
A voice of prophecy upon the breeze.
Up leapt the Sun and smote the dust to gold,
And strove to parch anew the heedless land,
All impotently, as a King grown old
Wars for the Empire crumbling 'neath his hand.
One after one the lotos-petals fell,
Beneath the onslaught of the rebel year,
In mutiny against a furious sky;
And far-off Winter whispered: -- "It is well!
"Hot Summer dies. Behold your help is near,
"For when men's need is sorest, then come I."

Patience - by Raymond Beyda

 


Patience *
by Raymond Beyda

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When you are in a hurry every one is the enemy. If you need to get important documents in the mail there is always a very slow clerk at the post office counter. If you need to make a deposit in the bank and get to a meeting the person in front of you on line will chat endlessly with the teller about trivial things. When you need to pick up the children from school the person in front of you at the store invariably presents an item without a price ticket to the cashier who them must page a clerk for a "price check". Sometimes it seems like the whole world is against you.

The fact of the matter is all of those people are not acting any differently than they always do. Sometimes you find them aggravating and at other times their fumbling may amuse you. The difference is not in them, it is in you. Patience quotient is a factor of your mood. If you are pressed you see things differently than they may appear when you have time to spare.

The solution is simple. Expect things to take longer than you expect. Plan for the unexpected delay. Anticipate traffic, a slow clerk and an unforeseen obstacle. Leave time to enjoy life. Those same people that always seem to be right in front of you will still be there BUT they will make you laugh with amusement and a feeling of intelligence as you outsmart the slowpoke enemies that inhabit the world.
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* Source: Rabbi Raymond Beyda (Project Genesis, Inc.)
http://www.torah.org/learning/reflections/classes