paperclips don't matter

the thing i never cease to be amazed about is the amount of patience the staff have here for the elders. it seems like a trait that comes with many years of experience and wisdom. i'm not sure how i can obtain said patience, and i think that's something i really need if i were to continue working in any job that i wish, whether it be healthcare or social services.

there's an elder here who finesses absolutely everything. the most recent case? paperclips. in front of my very eyes. all i could think about was how unnecessary that was. you don't need paperclips. why would you snatch them anyway? the greed. the materialism. until one of the staff came up and was talking about how she was worried the paperclips might be uncomfortable in the elder's pocket because they can hurt. it was extraordinary. i was the materialistic one. but i couldn't help being that way. i worked hard, not to get those paperclips, but to supply a comfortable atmosphere for the seniors. i rode trains through hot heat to buy materials. i stressed on perfecting events. and here they were, asking for more. as if nothing was ever enough.

and i think it was then that i realized it wasn't.
i don't know this elder personally, but i know i would give my own family elders the world. they've been through war after war after war to get here in america. they are the diaspora i read about in my textbooks, the displaced, the wandering, the searching.

if they want a few paperclips, they can have them.
it will be a while before i gain this patience, but i think that's fine.
because in the large span of the world, paperclips don't matter.