Patience Little Ass

I remembered a story a roommate told me when we were walking from Baclaran to Roxas Boulevard. I am relatively new to Manila and not even a runner yet. So during that time everything seems to be far. As we were walking, my roommate noticed that I am a little bit impatient because I keep on asking him “Aren’t we there yet?” So he decided to tell me a story. I thought the story would inspire me or would keep me awake or would somehow minimize the fatigue that was settling in my system.

The story starts with a little ass and his mother walking on a desert. The little ass was obviously tired and complaining. He is thirsty, hungry and tired. In each of his complain, the mother ass assured him always and told him to be patient. So the story went on and on until I get irritated and asked my friend, “Would this story never end?” Hearing that from me my roommate told me, “Patience little ass, patience.” We laughed hard and there goes a pound off of misery. That was a very clever punch line and as a matter of fact I feel silly to be an ass. But it put smile on my face.

I guess this story should be told to everyone in the metro. What we really need is patience especially when you are commuting during the busy hours in the morning.
When we are stuck in traffic, let us be patient. We could not do anything about it. Its flow is dictated by the volume of vehicles plying on the streets, by the traffic enforcers who seem not to know how to handle things, by the street vendors who obstruct the flow of commuters and/or by the people crowding the streets with different paces making the flow of people unbearable.

When we are on a bus, let us be patient. We could not do anything if we choose or doesn’t have a choice to ride a fully-packed bus because for sure we would be unintentionally rubbing our elbows, arms, butts, busts and crotches on a stranger. Let’s make our stomach strong for we could surely smell some aroma coming from others armpits, mouths or the bus poorly maintained interiors and mind-blowing air fresheners. Or when we encounter ill-mannered or foul-mouthed commuters let our eyes be blind and ears be deaf so that we’ll not lose our temper and be one of them.

Yes, commuting is a big sacrifice that we should practice the virtue of patience.