Patience.

It’s not the strongest virtue in our home—or anywhere else, for that matter—but it’s been on my mind the last few days leading up to Valentine’s Day. 

It seems like impatience dominates our culture.  You don’t have to go far to find impatience on display.  A woman’s loud sigh as she rolls her eyes in the checkout line.  A vehicle that rides your tail before finally passing you (sometimes in a no-passing zone) in a dramatic effort to let you know you were in its way.  Individuals, sometimes even grown adults, throwing tantrums when things don’t go as planned. 

We are not immune to these behaviors and neither are our children.  And, sadly, our impatient behavior often hurts others around us, especially those we love.  I suppose that’s why the Apostle Paul placed patience first in his list of what love is.

I’m reminded of the popular saying we all know so well: the best things in life are worth waiting for. 

Mo Willems portrays this so beautifully in his book Waiting Is Not Easy!  (Side note: I love anything by Mo Willems.) Sweet, humorous—it’s a good read for kids of any age, from one to 92 (although the target audience is ages 3-8).

 And…it’s my Valentine’s Day recommended reading. 

No, it doesn’t mention the holiday or romantic relationships.  It never even mentions the word love. But we can all identify with Gerald the elephant and his emotions as he expresses the frustration of waiting.  And, intentional or not, Willems shows us that impatient behavior is the opposite of loving behavior. 

You can purchase Waiting Is Not Easy! here, or head over to your local library and check it out!

Discussion Questions:

If you’re like me, you can’t read any form of literature without talking about it afterward. Here are some discussion questions for those planning to read this story with their children.

  1. How would you describe Gerald’s behavior in this story? What does he say or do to make you describe his behavior this way?
  2. Would you say that Gerald is behaving as a good friend to Piggie?  Why or why not?
  3. What might Gerald be feeling to cause him to behave this way?
  4. Have you ever felt or behaved like Gerald? 
  5. How would you describe Piggie in this particular story?  What does she do or say to make you describe her this way. 
  6. Would you say that Piggie is behaving as a good friend to Gerald?  Why or why not?
  7. Has there ever been a time in your life when you had to wait for something you really wanted?  What was it?  How did you feel?
  8. At one point in the story, Gerald says he won’t wait anymore.  Have you ever felt like giving up when the wait felt too long?
  9. How does Gerald feel when it starts to get dark outside (study his pose and facial expression in the illustration).  Has the wait ever seemed scary to you?
  10. Do you agree with Gerald and Piggie that the surprise was worth waiting for?
  11. What important lessons can we learn from this story?