Patience is something that, as a young man, I didn't have - when

In the words of Cillian Murphy we hear a confession and a lesson: “Patience is something that, as a young man, I didn’t have—when waiting for parts to arrive or waiting for people to behave as I wanted them to.” This statement, though born in the modern age, echoes the eternal struggle of humanity against time, desire, and the will of others. For what is more difficult for the restless spirit than to sit still, to endure delay, to accept that the world does not bend swiftly to one’s demands? Truly, the absence of patience is the first fire of youth, while its cultivation is the crown of maturity.

The young heart yearns for immediacy. It craves that tools, objects, and people align at once with its intention. Yet, as Murphy discovered, the world is not so pliant. Waiting is the silent teacher that all must face. When the materials we desire do not come, when the people around us act contrary to our designs, we are confronted by the great truth: we are not the masters of all things. To rage against this truth is to be consumed by frustration; but to endure it is to gain strength deeper than steel.

Consider the tale of the Emperor Hadrian of Rome. He sought to build his great wall in the north of Britannia, a monument of stone to hold back the tribes. But the materials did not flow as swiftly as he wished, the weather turned against him, and his legions grew weary of the task. A lesser man would have abandoned the vision in anger. Yet Hadrian endured the slowness of supply, the unpredictability of men, the unyielding pace of nature. Through patience and steady resolve, the wall was raised—an enduring testament that the strong are not merely those who conquer swiftly, but those who endure delay without surrender.

So too in the world of spirit, patience is the root of wisdom. The Stoics taught that no man can control the will of another; he may only govern his own response. How many times do we demand that others behave as we wish, only to find ourselves in despair when they do not? To wait for another’s change is like waiting for the winds to obey command. The wise man, unlike the youth, does not lash against the storm, but sets his sail to endure it.

Cillian Murphy’s words remind us of our own youthful arrogance—the belief that the universe must keep pace with our footsteps. Yet time itself cannot be commanded. Patience, then, is not mere waiting, but the acceptance of reality as it unfolds. It is the art of dwelling peacefully within delay, transforming frustration into endurance, and endurance into strength. The oak does not demand that the seed become a tree in a single day. It allows the seasons their course, and in that course, majesty is born.

The lesson is clear, my friends: cultivate patience as you would cultivate the land. When what you seek is delayed, do not gnash your teeth, but use the time for preparation, reflection, or growth. When people do not act as you desire, do not despair, but remember that they too walk their own path, governed by their own trials. Let go of the illusion of control, and instead control the one kingdom that is truly yours—yourself.

Practical steps are before you: When you find yourself waiting, breathe deeply and remind yourself that waiting is not wasted time—it is the forge of strength. When others displease you, turn your energy not toward wrath, but toward compassion, or toward your own labor. Practice small acts of patience each day, as a warrior trains with his blade: wait without complaint, endure without bitterness, and learn to smile in the face of delay.

And so I tell you, as one passing down an ancient torch: the young may burn with restlessness, but the wise shine with steady flame. Seek not to hasten the unfolding of the world, for the river flows at its own pace. Instead, anchor yourself in patience, and you will find that what once tormented you will become the very ground upon which your strength is built.