These words really resonate with me because they align closely with a point I made earlier in this post. I hope this piece of wisdom from Meryl Streep offers you some strength, courage, or cheer this week.
I’ve reached a stage in my life where I no longer have patience for certain things—not out of arrogance, but simply because I don’t want to waste time on things that displease or hurt me. I’ve lost patience for cynicism, harsh criticism, and unnecessary demands. I’m done trying to please people who don’t like me, love those who don’t love me back, or smile at those who refuse to smile at me. I won’t waste another minute on liars or manipulators. I’ve decided to move away from pretense, hypocrisy, dishonesty, and empty flattery. Academic arrogance and selective learning irritate me, and I avoid gossip as much as I can. I hate conflicts and making comparisons. Believing in a world of differences, I steer clear of people with rigid, inflexible personalities. In friendships, I can’t stand disloyalty and betrayal, nor do I get along with people unable to offer a compliment or encouragement. I find exaggeration tedious, and I struggle to relate to anyone who doesn’t like animals. Above all, I have no patience for anyone who doesn’t deserve it.
Here’s a throwback to the early days of Meryl’s career in 1981 on the subway in Manhattan—for no other reason than, why not?
