My Grade (So Far): Patience

patience: the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, pain, etc. without complaint, loss of temper or irritation. 

Now this is an attribute that screams for grading on a curve, no? Seems my grade for patience gets worse the better I know someone. And when I consider patience with myself, especially given the definition above, I'm in "D" territory fairly often.  

What accounts for my impatience with loved ones? What makes it easier for me to be patient with a new guitar student than I sometimes am with my wife, daughter, sisters, brother? Here's one convenient rationalization: I have higher expectations for my family than for strangers, colleagues, or neighbors. Or how about this? I see loved ones far more regularly so my chances for impatience are simply more frequent. Regardless of the relative merit of these rational lies, the most generous grade I deserve for patience with those close to me, at least so far, is a  "C".

Patience with all others? Depends on the kind of day I'm having. How about you? What challenges your patience? Read that dictionary definition carefully and note the etc. in the middle. Provocation, annoyance, misfortune and pain are not enough to bear? Yikes. I'll need several lifetimes to earn my "A" for this attribute.