Patience is not just about waiting for something…it’s about learning how to wait - by Raquel Santos Soares Menezes

Raquel at her grandfather’s farm.

Raquel and her first boss, Dr. Maurício.

Raquel visiting a farm, when she was at the college.

When I was a child, I spent my weekends at my grandfather's farm and one day while we were out to tour the orchard, I looked at the avocados and I said to my aunt, "I want an avocado" and she replied, "But they are green." But I was not satisfied with the answer. I insisted, replying: "But I want them...". Obviously she did not give me green avocados, but she tried to explain to me that there is a time when they would be riper and they would be delicious to eat.

I grew up, I went to college and again my "impatience" could be noticed. My first boss in the company where I worked, Dr. Mauricio, used to ask me if I “was born ahead of time." He used to joke with me like that; such was my desire to make things happen fast, at the moment I wanted them to happen. Most of my life I have been such this girl: forward, quick, full of desire to be the "master of my time." Certainly, I suffered a lot because of that, but the best part was that I learned a lot too! How many things I did I learn from Dr. Mauricio and his white hair, especially to respect the wisdom of more experienced people!

Today I have the maturity to look at things around me and understand whether they are ripe or not, if they are ready or not, and what will be the best time for things to happen, even if this is not “when” I want it to happen.

In projects related to coffee that I've been working on, I have patiently observed my time, but also the time of others. Even as a woman, mother, professional involved in various activities, people sometimes ask me if I like to rush a lot. I learned to say, "No, this is just my rhythm." As I observe, I practice patience and let things happen at the right time, when they have to!

As a teacher, I notice that each student also has their pace. Some will find their way and develop in a few years, others may take a lifetime. What makes me go ahead and want to teach them is the maturity which is coming through the years, and showing me that everything and everyone has their own time!