"Patience, n. A minor form of dispair, disguised as a virtue."

Patience

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Insight & Reflection

The theme of patience is universal, yet Ambrose Bierce manages to capture its essence in a uniquely profound way. Taking a moment to internalize this can shift our mindset, reminding us that our perspective on patience often shapes our reality.

About Ambrose Bierce

Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce was an American author, journalist, and poet. A prolific and versatile writer, Bierce was regarded as one of the most influential journalists in the United States and as a pioneering writer of realist fiction. For his horror writing, Michael Dirda ranked him alongside Edgar Allan Poe and H. P. Lovecraft. S. T. Joshi speculates that "he may well be the greatest satirist America has ever produced, and in this regard can take his place with such figures as Juvenal, Swift, and Voltaire." His war stories influenced Stephen Crane, Ernest Hemingway and others, and he was considered an influential and feared literary critic. In recent decades, Bierce has gained wider respect as a fabulist and poet.

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Editorial Note: This quote is curated and fact-checked by the ShortQuote Editorial Team. Verified Literature Specialist.

More by Ambrose Bierce

"Architect. One who drafts a plan of your house, and plans a draft of your money."

— Ambrose Bierce
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"Revolution, n. In politics, an abrupt change in the form of misgovernment."

— Ambrose Bierce
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"“There's no free will,” says the philosopher; “To hang is most unjust.” “There is no free will,” assents the officer;  “We hang because we must.”"

— Ambrose Bierce
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"Optimism - the doctrine or belief that everything is beautiful, including what is ugly."

— Ambrose Bierce
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More about Patience

"Gardeners are good at nurturing, and they have a great quality of patience, they're tender. They have to be persistent."

— Ralph Fiennes
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"People don't have time to wait for somebody to paint their portraits anymore. The money is in photography."

— Robert Mapplethorpe
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"It is impossible to practice parliamentary politics without having patience, decency, politeness and courtesy."

— Khaleda Zia
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"Never be in a hurry do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset."

— Saint Francis de Sales
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