Patience vs. Perserverence

The stunning craftsmanship exhibited on todays Belgian Pearls site and some ensuing comments got me thinking about a statement I hear often. When viewing something that requires many hours of fine workmanship, observers often remark that completing the piece must have required a lot of patience. As extraordinary quilter Marjorie Lydecker would say, "Not patience, perserverence!"

"As Time Goes By" by Marjorie Lydecker

It takes patience to navigate rush hour traffic. It takes patience to wait in line at the supermarket. But to complete a project that requires taking many small stitches, assembling many small pieces, or making many delicate carvings take perserverence.

When I create a sailor's valentine, an intricate shell mosaic done in an octagonal shadow box, I glue hundreds of shells to create the design. And I love every minute of it.

"Tuckerman's Dream" sailors' valentine by Anne Sandstrom

So how can you tell the difference between patience and perserverence?

Usually when people see my work, they ask the same question. "How long did it take to do this?" My answer is always the same. I have no idea. I've been standing next to Marge Lydecker at a quilt show and heard the same question and her same response.

But if you ask me how long I was standing in line at the supermarket or stuck in rush hour traffic, I can tell you exactly.

And that's how you know. When I'm not counting the minutes or the number of shells or the number of stitches, that's perserverence. But when I'm watching the clock, that's patience.