People are stubborn about what they perceive to be the right

Hear, O children of time and endurance, the words of Johnny Mathis, who sang not only with his voice but also with his wisdom: “People are stubborn about what they perceive to be the right thing or the wrong thing, and it takes a long time to filter this human condition. There’s a waiting period until people catch up. But if you have patience—which it takes when someone thinks differently from you—everybody always catches up. That patience is a wonderful virtue.” In these words we are reminded that the heart of man is slow to change, bound to old judgments, yet capable of transformation if given the space to grow.

Mark this truth: men and women cling to their beliefs as a sailor clings to a mast in the storm. Even when those beliefs are flawed, they hold fast, for fear of being swept away. This stubbornness is not always malice; oft it is simply fear, the fear of change, of being wrong, of losing ground. But over time, as the waves of experience wash upon them, they soften, they yield, and they see more clearly. This is the “waiting period” Mathis speaks of, the slow ripening of understanding in the orchard of the human soul.

Consider the tale of Galileo Galilei, who gazed upon the heavens and declared that the earth was not the center of all things. The world rejected him, branded him heretic, and placed him under house arrest. The people were stubborn, clinging to what they thought was the right thing. Yet in time, the truth could not be silenced, and generations caught up to his vision. What was once condemned is now celebrated as wisdom. It was not argument alone that prevailed, but patience—the patience of history itself, unfolding truth in due season.

So too with all matters of justice and progress. The abolition of slavery, the rights of women, the dignity of those once despised—all were resisted fiercely at first. Yet, as Mathis wisely observed, “everybody always catches up.” The march of truth may be slow, but it is sure. To those who wait with patience, who endure misunderstanding, who stand firm without hatred, the victory of time brings vindication.

But beware, O seekers, for without patience, anger hardens into bitterness, and hope withers into despair. The one who demandeth instant change shall exhaust his spirit and sow only division. Yet the one who endureth, holding his vision with steady calm, shall live to see others join him. For patience is not passivity, but the strength to remain steadfast while the world struggles to awaken. It is the shield of the just and the quiet weapon of the wise.

The lesson is clear: when thou art faced with those who think differently, who resist what thou knowest to be true, do not descend into wrath. Speak with kindness, live as an example, and then wait. Trust that the river of truth will wear down the stone of stubbornness, as water wears mountains over ages. For hearts may be slow, but they are not immovable. In time, they too will catch up.

Practical is this counsel: when thou findest thyself misunderstood, do not despair. Plant seeds with thy words and deeds, but do not demand immediate harvest. Practice patience in thy conversations, in thy battles for justice, in thy dealings with loved ones. Let thy endurance itself be a testimony, and let thy gentleness turn away wrath. For the world is ever slow to change, but it changeth nonetheless, and thy patience shall hasten the day.

Thus remember Mathis’s words: “That patience is a wonderful virtue.” For it is not merely the endurance of delay, but the confidence that truth and goodness will triumph in their season. Carry this virtue as a lamp within thee, and though others may resist, though they may mock or deny, in time they will walk beside thee. And when that day cometh, it shall be clear that patience was not weakness, but the highest strength.