Patience

November 15, 2011
Many people may consider patience nothing more than an old-fashioned virtue of little value in today's busy world. Those individuals would probably gain the most from reading this title, which makes a strong case for patience as a building block for inner peace. Lokos, a Buddhist teacher and practitioner, refers to studies indicating that intelligence alone cannot bring success and that children who fail to develop patience and self-control are more likely as adults to commit crimes, struggle with addictions, and earn low incomes. Even more convincing are his statements about how a lack of patience fuels anger, which can be devastating to relationships and lives overall. Along with suggesting exercises and meditation practices for cultivating mindfulness and patience, Lokos offers testimonials from individuals who have enhanced their lives by learning patience. His laugh-out-loud chapter on raising children is a treasure. A great deal of the world's problems could be solved by taking Lokos' advice.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)