it is difficult to be patient, but cancer is a powerful teacher.
PUBLISHED July 05, 2019
Jane has earned three advanced degrees and had several fulfilling careers as a librarian, rehabilitation counselor and college teacher. Presently she does freelance writing. Her articles include the subjects of hearing loss and deafness, service dogs and struggling with cancer. She has been a cancer survivor since 2010.
She has myelodysplastic syndrome, which is rare, and would love to communicate with others who have MDS.
Impatience was my worst trait growing up. I was constantly reminded how low my patience level was. I remember my mother repeatedly telling me over and over again, “You need to be patient.” Now that she is gone, my older sister has reminded me a time or two about this. I laugh ironically at the old adage, “God, please give me patience – and I need it NOW!” She has myelodysplastic syndrome, which is rare, and would love to communicate with others who have MDS.
I have always been a driven person. Anyone with a severe hearing loss who has achieved three advanced degrees has to have some drive. For a long time, I did not have patience with other people and had a quick temper as a child. I learned slowly to control it most of the time. As I matured, I developed more patience with others and usually try to give people a break. I had a very smart friend with two deaf children ask me one time if maybe the hearing loss caused some of this, and I think she was right. I am more tolerant of other people than myself. My therapist pointed this out to me several times, because I am extremely hard on myself.
When I was getting my doctorate, one of my wise faculty teachers said something I would never forget. She said my biggest fault, which would affect me as a counselor and teacher, was that I would try to make things happen rather than let things happen. On my first counseling job, I was calling myself a failure after a client left abruptly. The more experienced counselors told me the person wasn’t ready and it was the client and not me. They explained the person would come back when she was ready and they were right!
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