Embracing Patience During Advent

Embracing Patience During Advent

It is often said that pateince is a virtue but the landscape of waiting has undergone a profound transformation, courtesy of our devices.

Thanks to giants like Amazon and Apple, our homes have become personalised digital realms where you can find anything you wish online. Gone are the days of waiting a week for a new episode of your favourite TV show to come out. The simple joys of sitting on a bus or train and observing the changing landscape seem like a long time ago. Now our commutes are filled with podcasts, music and even TV shows if you feel so inclined.

Whether it’s streaming entertainment, social media updates, or doorstep deliveries, our doom-scrolling, click-through lifestyle has conditioned us to expect immediate fulfillment with minimal effort.

In a world dominated by 24/7 information, where waiting seems almost obsolete, the habits we form play a pivotal role. Habits exert a powerful influence, blurring the line between conscious choices and involuntary actions. Have you ever gone for more than a couple of hours without picking up your phone and checking on it, and digital sabbaticals or timed locked boxes during family time are often used for families to actually connect.

Consider the example of nightly Netflix binging. What starts as a conscious decision transforms into an involuntary routine, illustrating how habits can shape our lives. While positive habits like early rising, healthy eating, and regular exercise yield significant benefits, destructive habits can lead to dire consequences.

Amid the omnipresence of the click-through lifestyle, millions worldwide observe Advent, a time synonymous with waiting and expectation. The past few years, marked by global and political upheavals, have exposed the limitations of our click-driven habits. The real world doesn’t conform to our digital dominion, and the virtues we need most – patience and peace – are at risk of being eroded by our habitual impulses.

To cultivate patience and restore balance, consider this:

  • Limit Technology Exposure: Acknowledge that real-world processes don’t align with the immediacy of technology. Break the cycle by opting for analog experiences—listen to a vinyl record instead of streaming on Spotify or play a DVD to disrupt endless Netflix scrolling. Small acts like flipping a record contribute to dismantling the click lifestyle over time.
  • Participate in Advent: The essence of Advent, centred around anticipation, is universal. In the midst of chaos, take time to reflect and cultivate the virtue of patience. Advent presents a time to reflect and anticipate the arrival of Christ, despite the busyness of the holiday season.

Technology may have revolutionised the waiting game, but recent years have underscored the importance of patience as an essential virtue.

In a world where instant gratification is the norm, embracing patience becomes a powerful counterbalance to the pitfalls of our habitual click-driven lives and what better time to practice the art of patience in the lead up to Christmas.

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