Waiting in Line

Today the line was long waiting to pay for my coffee.  I could tell my irritation was building.  I could see the stressful feeling of the cashier.  Should I just leave in protest - go across the street to Starbucks, skip the morning coffee or wait with escalating impatience and irritation?

"Impatience is selfishness with time" so says Max Lucado in his book Max on Life.  Somehow time and the pressure of it leaving us tick by tick creates an intense feeling of not wanting to waste it.  However we have the ability to control every second - every tick tock.  There are plenty of alternative uses of the time while waiting in line -  a short meditation; observing others; recalling blessings;  reviewing the "to do" list; the list goes on and on.

Or just being less "selfish" about the time can release the stress and irritation.  Afterall as Mother always said - "You are just hurting yourself ......"    Letting time create pressure only shortens your life - and interesting paradox. 

The more selfish you are about your time - the less time you have.