Patience, he thought. So much of this was patience - waiting, and thinking and doing things right. So much of all this, so much of all living was patience and thinking.

Meaning: You may not fully understand the difficulties another person carries. Avoid deciding how easy their situation should be from what is visible to you, and make room to hear their account.

Meaning: An unpromising beginning need not determine how the rest of an experience develops. The cloudy-morning image encourages leaving room for improvement, while it should not be treated as a weather forecast or a promise that every difficulty ends well.

Meaning: Waiting for something can make the desire for it more intense. Notice how anticipation affects your judgement rather than assuming that a growing wish proves the thing is becoming more worthwhile.

Meaning: Trouble is pictured as moving between different doors rather than remaining in one place. The saying can express hope that a difficulty will pass, but it should not promise relief on a schedule or encourage satisfaction when someone else suffers.