At crafts shows, people tell me while they are looking at one of my inlaid or carved boxes: "I don't have enough patience for that." I thank them knowing they've offered a compliment, but lack of patience is an excuse I don't believe.

People actually have patience for different things. I have no patience for shopping, or driving in heavy traffic. I have no patience for network television. Put a chisel in my hand and I can be busy for hours.

If you have money, you can hire people to do things for you. There will be times when they may not be available but with patience and enough money they will come.

If you have skill, you can do things for yourself, find satisfaction and savings in your own activities, and get things done at your own convenience rather than waiting patiently for someone else to come. You will discover new skills in what you do and find something to be proud of in your work.

What people often call lack of patience really describes the following: lack of interest, lack of motivation, lack of confidence, lack of experience and lack of skill. It is ironic that our society places knowledge above skill in the social order. The carved basswood box above is to be featured in an article in Woodwork Magazine.