I’ve come to think that having patience is a superhuman skill.  Really, it seems impossible to stand down and be “patient.”  I looked up the definition of patience: “The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.”  This, for me, is just not possible.   When things are delayed, I do into a tizzy because I want what I want, RIGHT NOW!  As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten better at hiding my anger, but I still feel it.  To be honest, either the Justice League or The Avengers should create a character called, “Patient Man.”  He’d walk all over Gotham, or New York, or wherever patience is needed and talk people down from their respective meltdowns.  He wouldn’t be super strong or have x-ray vision, but his ability to wait out emotional storms would probably make him the most popular superhero, EVER!

He’d have a car like the Batmobile, but it would look like a turtle shell.  Plus, it would have a top speed of twenty-five (25) MPHs.  While all the rest of the superheroes were either kicking butt or getting their butts kicked, Patient Man would sit in his car and wait out the trouble.  Then, once it was all over, he’d slowly cruise to anyone he comes upon and sits with them when they realize their houses and cars have been destroyed by the superhero battle.

I’d like to call upon Patient Man during my rush hour commute to work.  I’d just send out the “turtle signal” and he’d show up.  For example, today, there was ice on the roads and I think people’s brains go into some kind of turtle shell when they see the ice because they all seem to forget that there may be other cars on the road.  I literally saw myself driving as I floated above the roads due to the thirty minute meltdown I experienced trying to get to work.  So, I would have loved to call Patient Man to cruise over to me and tow me with his Patiencemobile through all the traffic, all the while talking me down such that my out of body experience could end with me and my spirit all in one location.

Sadly, though, there isn’t a Patient Man who responds to a turtle signal.  I’m going to have to have to develop the almost superhuman capability to tolerate life’s delays.  Maybe, in time, I could be in so many patience-needing situations that I’d develop the power to become the Patient Man.  It’d be cool: My alter ego would be a hot-tempered road-rager covering up my superhero Patient Man identity.  May be kind of fun – then again, may be kind of boring.  Still, patience is a skill I think we can all develop a little better such that none of us needs Patient Man.