virtue: (definition); a good or admirable quality or property;

Over the years, so many things I've done, have required patience, to get the job done in a successful manner.  The short list that follows of a few of my accomplishments, is not meant to "toot my horn," but to give the reader a sense of how patience and time is required to accomplish tasks.

I think my father was the most impatient person in the world.  If he took a pill today...he would expect results tomorrow...or he would have a fit...doctors and nurses are lousy...and the medical community is out to get his money.  He would usually quit if he didn't get instant results...take his ball and bat and go home, etc. 

Quit smoking;  I quit smoking in 1970, and 40 years later, I have not touched tobbacco products of any kind.  It took about a year to quit, after three failed attempts.  It's one of the best things I've done for myself and for those around me and for my pets, too. 

Losing 40 pounds; During a physical exam in 2001, I found out that I was about 40 pounds overweight, and the weight had to come off.  I usually weigh about 170 pounds, but I had ballooned to about 210 pounds.  Over a six foot frame, I could carry the weight, but I didn't want to weigh that much.  I knew it was going to take time, to take the weight off, so I dug in for the long haul.  When all was said and done, it took me about a year to lose the weight, and I couldn't be more pleased to be back to normal.

Diabetes;  In 2008, I was diagnosed with diabetes, which is the #7 killer in the United States.  I wasn't surprised at the time, because I get one or two blood tests every year, and I watched as the glucose (sugar) was elevated.  Between 2008 and 2010, I pricked my finger hundreds of times, to get data for myself and my doctor.  I started out with an A1C of 6.9.  In October, 2010, the A1c was down to 5.9, and took me more than two years to get to this point.  Now, I have to keep monitoring things so nothing gets out of control.

Woodcarving;  For over 30 years, I was a woodcarver, and if there is anything in the world that requires patience...it's woodcarving.  Over the years, I carved about 200 different cartoon-like characters in wood.  I have the scars on my hands to show that woodcarving requires concentration and patience. 

Writing;  I've had to learn how to be patient in writing...not to expect too much too soon, etc.  In early 2007, I wrote an article on weight loss.  For months, the piece was stagnant and was going no place.  I couldn't understand it, as there was not much traffic and visitors viewing this piece, and it was looking like a bomb for me, etc.  I couldn't change anything in the body of the article, because I thought I had done my best with it.  I felt that the only thing I could change was the title, to help give the piece a little life, but I couldn't change the title, if I didn't have a title to change it to.  Change just for the sake of change was not acceptable to me.

I tried to exercise patience with this piece for over 6 months, and it was still in the quick-sand going no place.  I was becoming less patient with this piece, and I now went from the passive mode...to the active mode on this piece.  In other words, I was now actively trying to think of a new title for this piece. 

One day, I was out on the Internet doing some surfing, and I saw something that triggered an idea for my title change.  As soon as I got the idea, I changed the title to, "Here's the Skinny On How I Lost 40 Pounds."  I didn't know at the time, if this was going to improve the article or not...all I could do was hope.  It didn't take long for the article to show a little life, and started to rise on the charts. 

The steady rise continued, and over the next few months, the piece took the lead and became my dominant article in my portfolio, which was amazing to me, as the piece climed out of the quick-sand.  This article eventually became the number one article at three different places...for over three years!  This piece became so dominated at the article directory where I posted it, that in 2010, it was leading the second place article by over 7,000 hits/views!  This climb by this article has been amazing to me, and it all began with patience.  I've always been amazed at how a small change could make such a difference in an article.

Patience is a virtue...but lack of patience could be a virtue, too, if it changes the approach to a project and solves the problem, and the project becomes successful. 

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