What Learning Changes (and What It Cannot)

There’s an old saying that goes something like this, “If you ask God for patience, he sends you difficult situations / people.” The point being that God doesn’t miraculously inject you with patience rather he gives multiple opportunities to test ourselves and learn from. The process is designed to change me and not the situation / person.

I (re)learn this whenever I get into an argument with cab/auto drivers. My learning to better handle my emotions doesn’t isolate me from the (few) drivers who behave rudely. I will continue to meet them, but what is expected to change is the way I respond to them. As long as the response continues to become more mature I can be confident that my weaknesses are being worked on, ie, I am learning. So in a way I am grateful for the rude drivers I meet.