I recently saw these definitions of patience:

• suffering delay, pain, irritation etc quietly and without complaining
• capacity to endure hardship, difficulty, or inconvenience without complaint
• calmness, self-control, and the willingness or ability to tolerate delay

So, if love is this, what does that mean?

How many times do people we love cause us delay, pain, irritation, hardship, difficulty, or inconvenience? Often, right? This may be because we spend so much time with them, that they are those most likely to cause these feelings, as well as all the wonderful feelings we feel with those we love. It may also be because we care about them and their opinion of us; We open ourselves up to them.

So, according to these definitions to love someone is to not complain, remain calm, self-controlled, and even tolerant when we’re feeling these strong feelings which we normally might not respond to with such restraint. But to show this restraint is indeed love.

How many times do the little things get on our nerve causing us irritation or inconvenience? We are hereby challenged to endure this and respond without complaint when the source is one we love.

Love is patient; love is kind. Perhaps it’s the other way around and patience actually is love.