IS PATIENCE A VIRTUE?

My husband's Nonna used to say- hai pazienza! Have patience! She was the sweetest person- Nonna Maria. She had a tough life- lost her husband in World War One and had to live with her in-laws. Later in life she lived with her son and family- my husband's family. I am sure it was not the easiest life- going from your father's home to the in-law's home to your son's home- she never really had her own place. Yet, she was not bothered by it. Would a modern woman be able to tolerate that life- I doubt it. To live on one's own is a cherished goal. So patience in life comes with a cost. To be able to tolerate the follies of others- work mates, little children, family member's habits and concerns is patience. But is it a strength! Sometimes is it better to tell the person in the situation to bug off- I don't have time for you! Or is it better to let the others come to their own conclusion and suffer the consequences of their actions? Waiting in line- I can be patient but often feel perturbed by others who huff and puff because they have to wait! If you needed to be first then come earlier- does last minute Christmas shopping come to mind! In the hospital for example, it is not first come first served- it is most urgent backwards for care. We had a patient waiting for surgey. A family member was pushing -he will have surgery today! Explanation- on the trauma block but if someone more urgent comes in through the hospital door then he could be bumped and with a trailer- not first come first served! She was very rude saying well it should be. Trying to explain we are not a department store or a restaurant- our business is trying to save lives. Yes, waiting for non-urgent surgery is difficult but no consideration for anyone else's health risk is actually quite selfish.
Waiting for anything does try our patience!!!
Little children need our patience. They just take longer to do things. Little fingers, tough buttons! Wanting to try and do it their way. Sometimes their behaviour is to try to please us so if we have patience we may actually come to that conclusion.
Does being patient demonstrate by example caring and loving the person? My children often tell me I let them be who they needed to be and not who I thought they should be. It was not always easy as most parents know- our children do try our patience!! What do I have- adult children who are responsible, loving, caring people! So patience can give rewards. But is it a virtue? It does help us control our feelings especially anger. It helps us bite our tongue and not say every cruel thought that flies into our head. It can help us to disfuse a dicey situation by thinking and not reacting. With patience, we can say- this too shall pass! What do you think? Virtue? Strength? Character flaw? Do you have patience?