Teaching us to wait

 Sarah Ruhl in "100 Essays I Don't Have Time to Write."

Essay: "Writing and Waiting"

She begins: 

I like to look at people's faces when they are waiting. Do they look bored, rude, thoughtful, do they have a look of forbearance on their faces? The look of forbearance -- on sees that look more often on non-American facds, or on faces that have waited in line for bread. Forbearance, cousin of dignity, sister of patience... Patience is no longer of virtue in this country, I'm afraid. We've made it into a vice. And I'm worrried that the elimination of wiating will make us monstrous. Things we used to wait for: the news, mercury in a thermomenter to rise, letters from overseas, boast to come in from whaling expeditions, the fifth act, the fifth course, a turky to roast in the oven, a pig to roast on a spit, the phone to ring, a tape to rewind, bread to rise, tea to brew, grapes to ferment. . . .

And if waiting is lost, then will all the unconscious processes that take place during waiting get lost?

She ends:

Can the theater teach us to wait?  To forestall our satisfaction? Poems teach us how to wait. The natural world makes us wait. Erik Satie teaches us how to wait. And so does much music. Will YouTube teach us how to wait? Will YouTube teach us how to die?