Patience And Silence: The Virtues Of Wise People

Confucius said that a person who has no patience for the small problems of life will be paralyzed and will not know how to act when faced with major difficulties. Patience and silence are virtues that not all people know how to manage or cultivate. 

Silence is an “ability” that goes hand in hand with patience. It is important to know when to be silent, to listen to others and to find that inner space in which to communicate quietly with yourself.

Being silent does not mean sabotaging yourself or hiding your opinions for fear of the consequences. It means not giving voice to things you don’t deserve to complain about and keeping quiet when emotions speak for themselves.

Patience and silence are two fundamental virtues of wise people and essential for your personal development. We invite you to reflect on these crucial aspects of the life of each of us.

Patience and silence are the virtues of wise men

We could say that patience and silence are two sides of the same coin – a very old and wise coin.

An example is provided by Native American culture, which writer Kent Nerburn describes in books such as Not Wolf Nor Dog: The Forgotten Trails of an Old Indian. 

In all his works, the author emphasizes the importance of the concepts of patience and silence for Native Americans. Here are some examples.

Silence in the vision of the Amerindians

The Lakota Native Americans belong to the Sioux tribe of North America. They are wise people, with a rich and deep spiritual life,  who offer us many teachings even today.

The Lakota people believe in connection with the invisible world, with an entity that symbolizes union with other people, friends, family members, and loved ones.

• This connection is strengthened by respect and, above all, by silence. It is the most respectful interaction between two people, in which silence means not only listening to each other, but also sharing their time and strengthening their trust in each other.
• If you think about it, you realize that every time you are in someone’s presence and there is silence, you feel a certain discomfort. To get rid of it, you say the first thing that comes to mind.
• It is necessary to give up this attitude.
• The comfortable silence of a group of friends is truly magical. You don’t feel compelled to talk, just to “be present,” to be all united by that invisible connection that the Lakota Native Americans were talking about.

• For Native Americans, silence is a virtue that helps them become aware of all their surroundings. It brings them closer to the earth, to nature, to other people, to the cycle of life and even to themselves, to their own thoughts.

These are aspects that are worth exploring in depth.

Patience and silence, arts that can be learned

Nobody tells you when you come into the world that things don’t always happen the way you want them to. In addition, no one can assure you that if you work hard enough, you will get what you want.

Patience is said to be “holy.” In reality, it is just an art that is perfected over time following disappointments or the belief that life will teach you how to be strong, not teachers or books.

Being patient means never giving up. If something does not happen the way you want, do not abandon your goals. Patience and silence mean staying calm and confident.

• Patient people have an observant spirit, think quietly, are aware of their surroundings, and have an extraordinary intuition that helps them choose the right time to act.
• Those who are unable to ignore outside noise, negative thoughts and opinions, their own or those around them, will never achieve their goals.
• Patience also means the wisdom of knowing which paths to choose and which paths to avoid.

If you have a dream, you should not let anyone get in your way or discourage you with statements such as: “stop thinking about it, your train has left the station”.

Patient and wise people are on the best platform of life. They will always catch the right train, even if it is delayed.

It’s worth the wait. Waiting helps you develop other skills: perseverance, courage, resilience and, above all, the power to hope.