Patience: Where Did I leave It?

Yesterday in my morning meditation group, I felt so centered, calm and peaceful.  I was ready to focus on my breath, to be present and mindful the rest of the day.  Yet, when Adrian and I went downtown to see a movie, I lost it soon after we left the parking lot.  

We had a half hour to kill, I mean "enjoy," until the movie started, and I noticed a new store across the street:  Urban Outfitters.  The word "outfitters" made me think it was an outdoors sporting type of store, so I suggested we take a look. 

Aach, the minute I got inside, I realized it was a store for cool hip skinny people under 25.  What were we doing in there?!  I wanted to escape immediately, but Adrian started wandering into the men's department, studying the clothing.  

I made a quick zip through the rest of the store, growing more uncomfortable with each rack I perused, then circled back to get him out of there.

"Look at these shoes," he said, pointing to a pair of loafers.

"Don't you have enough shoes?" I asked.  "Besides, these lace up.  They would be too hard for you to manage."

"Are you uncomfortable?"

"Yes.  Can we leave?"

Finally, we exited.  And then faced the rest of our downtown "commons" area, where Adrian shuffled along so slowly I could not keep behind with him, but kept surging ahead and having to wait for him.  Every eatery we passed, he would stop to look at the menu. 

"You don't want to eat anything there," I said.  "They're very expensive."

At another place: "Are you hungry? How come you're stopping at every restaurant?"

"You are something," he said, laughing. 

Even I knew I was laughable, but I just couldn't stand it.  "It's time to head back to the movie theater," I said, herding him along. 

And we sat waiting for 10 minutes for the show to start. 

It was an afternoon that provided me with ample material to practice being patient. 

Maybe another time.