I find I’m becoming more patient. Maybe it’s an age thing. Maybe it’s having grandchildren. Maybe I’m slipping – but I don’t think so. For me, patience often shows up when I’m driving. People want to cross the street and there’s traffic? I let them cross. When a car is trying to exit a side street . . . . I slow and wave them out. The UPS driver or guy in a dump truck or the garbage man – I figure they got work to do and they want to get home to their families. So I wave them out too.

In psychology and cognitive neuroscience, patience is studied as a decision-making issue – involving the choice of either a small reward in the short-term or a more valuable reward in the long term. Is it strictly one’s ability to endure delay, trouble or suffering? Or can it rise to the level of charity when others are involved? That’s over my head. Yet in all religious traditions, patience is deeply-rooted as a virtue.

In Judaism, the Talmud considers patience an important personal trait. “A patient man is better than a warrior.” Micah endures much challenge and yet he says “I will wait for the God who saves me” (Micah 7:7).

In Christianity, patience is a most valuable virtue. “. . . be patient with all. Do not return evil for evil but seek what is good for each other and for all.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14-15).

In Islam, patience is one of the great virtues “. . . give good news to those who patiently endure. . . ” Surah Al-Baqara 2:155-6.

In Buddhism, patience refers more to not returning harm than to merely enduring a difficult situation. Yet patience is one of the “perfections” of Buddhism that we ought study and practice to realize perfect enlightenment.

In Hinduism, patience is an essential virtue. The word “patience” has several synonyms in the ancient literature of Hinduism. In short, it is the cheerful endurance of trying conditions and a consequence of one’s action and deeds.

In this election season, patience is a virtue that everyone needs. . . . .