You’ve probably heard the old proverb, “Patience brings roses” or “Trpělivost růže přináší” in Czech. At first glance, it seems pretty straightforward. Be patient, and good things will come. But have you ever really stopped to think about what that means? As with most proverbs, it contains layers of wisdom and insight into human nature.
So, what brings you roses? A loving relationship? A successful career? Inner peace? anything! Here’s why.
The Origins of the Czech Proverb “Patience Brings Roses”
The proverb “Patience brings roses” dates back to the 19th century in the Czech Republic. At the time, roses were a symbol of beauty, goodness, and virtue. The proverb is a metaphorical way of saying that if you patiently endure difficult times, you will eventually be rewarded.
Patience is seen as a virtue in Czech culture. The proverb suggests that keeping a positive and persevering attitude during hard times will lead to good outcomes in the end. It’s similar to the English proverb, “Good things come to those who wait.” Like cultivating a rose bush, achieving meaningful goals and relationships requires care, dedication, and resilience in the face of challenges.
The rose is a fitting symbol in this proverb. Roses require attentive gardening and time to blossom into their full potential. A gardener must exercise patience through the planting, pruning, feeding, and tending before enjoying the rose’s beauty and fragrance. Similarly, patience and diligence are required to overcome obstacles, learn life lessons, and allow meaningful relationships and purpose to flourish.
A watched pan or pot never boils, as the saying goes. For the impatient gardener, the waiting is the hardest part. But for those able to delay gratification, exquisite roses are their reward.
How To Apply This Proverb In Your Life
Proverbs are really something. They can really teach you a lot about life. That’s why I’m such a big fan of them and try to live by them as much as I can. There’s usually some wisdom or lesson hidden in those short little sayings.
Keep Watering Your Dreams
My grandma was a wise woman. She had this saying she always used to tell me – “you can’t plant a seed and sit by it and scream at it to grow.” I never really understood what she meant as a kid, but it always stuck with me.
As I got older, I started to understand what my grandma was talking about. You can’t just expect things to happen instantly, no matter how much you want them to. A seed takes time to grow, it can’t be rushed. You’ve got to be patient and let nature take its course.
Grandma would always follow that up by saying, “It won’t speed up the process.” And she was so right. Getting upset or in a hurry isn’t going to make your dreams come true any faster. You’ve just got to accept that these things take time.
But grandma also said you can’t just plant that seed and then do nothing. “What you have to do is shower your dreams with patience and a little effort.” That effort is key. You still need to put in some work to help things along. Keep your eyes open for opportunities and be willing to take advantage of them when they come.
Accept What Is
Another of my grandmother’s sayings, “Stop chasing the rabbit; the more you chase it, the more it will run away,” really holds a lot of truth. When we’re impatient and constantly chasing after things we want, it usually has the opposite effect.
The way I see it, if you’re running after something or someone, it’s just going to scare them away. Nobody wants to feel chased or pressured. It shows a lack of trust that what you want will eventually come to you. If you take a step back and adopt more of a “go with the flow” attitude, things have a way of working out in due time.
The Czech proverb, “Patience brings roses,” teaches us that rather than anxiously pursuing your goals, sometimes the best approach is to stay patient and keep moving forward at your own pace. Small, steady steps will get you to where you need to be. And who knows, as you focus on the journey instead of the finish line, you may end up somewhere even better than you imagined. Maybe instead of one rose, a bunch of beautiful roses will grow on your bush!
