LETTERS: Patient, as an adjective, means to be able to accept or tolerate delays, problems or sufferings without becoming annoyed or anxious.
Patient, as a noun, means a person who is registered to receive medical treatment.
What a strange coincidence that the two words have a strong affinity towards one another in the medical fraternity, in sync with the Hippocratic Oath: A doctor or a medical officer has to be patient with the patient (who has to be cooperative) for a win-win situation to take place.
Patience (from the doctor) is the best therapy that the patient yearns for, for the betterment of his ailment.
In the sports world, the importance and power of patience is personified in the relationship between the manager and the player.
By being patient and always giving words of advice, encouragement and having faith in him, his talent will slowly but surely flourish.
This is a simple case in which patience has a Pygmalion effect (where subordinates appear to perform to their superior's perception of their abilities).
The way the manager approaches the player, with a dose of patience, like a doctor to his patient, will largely transform his performance in due course of time.
From another perspective, patience is a virtue. By being patient, one is actually buying time. As time is a great healer, we need to appreciate the healing power of time.
One moment of calmness, that is, of being patient, can save a person 100 days of sorrow.
But being human beings, and reacting instantaneously to the situation, mistakes are bound to happen. It's of no use lamenting now for what has taken place some time back. It simply just cannot be undone.
If only patience was the order of the day, many a misunderstanding, a tiff, an argument or even an altercation could have been avoided. Friendships and relationships could have been maintained. Animosity and regret would not have prevailed.
As yesterday is dead and gone, and is history; with tomorrow remaining a mystery, one has to move on and make do with the best of our abilities in the present.
Whatever bridges and fences that could be mended to make a person feel better needs to be the priority.
On a different note, in general, to the young and vibrant society, time is king. They are always on the move, always busy and consistently rushing for time.
If only they give patience a little bit of prominence and respect, many a mishap or misfortune could have been averted.
As the saying goes : "Speed kills", many young drivers or riders on the wheels, in their haste, showing disrespect to patience, end up as patients in hospitals.
It could be for a long duration of time at the expense of trying to save a few miserable seconds or minutes.
Concluding on a lighter note, patience is the most undervalued stock in the "stock market". Buy it at any cost and reap its profits and dividends.
The longer you hold on to it, the greater is the reward.
THIAGARAJAN MATHIAPARANAM
Klang, Selangor
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times