Susy's Teacher Aunt Patience

It was now the turn of Aunt Patience. Her book had covers wrought by her own hands, in grave and gay colors well mingled together.

“When I first came here,” said she, “Susy used to cry a great deal whenever she was hurt or punished. When she was sick she was very hard to please. When she sat down to learn to sew and to read and to write, she would break her thread in anger, or throw her book on the floor, or declare she never could learn. But now she has left off crying when she is hurt, and tries to bear the pain quietly. When she is sick she does not fret or complain, but takes her medicine without a word. When she is sewing she does not twitch her thread into knots, and when she is writing she writes slowly and carefully. I have rocked her to sleep a thousand times. I have been shut up in the closet with her again and again. And I hope I have done her some good and taught her some useful lessons.”

“Indeed you have, Aunt Patience!” said Susy’s papa. “But Susy is not yet perfect. We shall need you six years longer.”

~ From "Little Susy's Six Teachers"

[We never cease needing lessons from Aunt Patience. ~ mr.]