Within the Glasswood Forest – Episode 5: Finding Patience: Why Every Moment Matters | Glasswood Storyworks
In Episode 5 of Within the Glasswood Forest, Jonathon Guidry reflects on one of life’s quietest strengths — patience. Through personal stories of family, leadership, and creativity, Jonathon explores how slowing down can help us move forward: how every pause shapes perspective, how stillness builds strength, and how patience transforms the way we parent, teach, and create.
This episode also offers a glimpse into upcoming Glasswood Storyworks projects, future storytime segments, and the growing community of authors joining the Storyworks family. Finding Patience invites listeners to take a deep breath, look inward, and rediscover the beauty hidden in every moment.
Within the Glasswood Forest – Episode 5: Finding Patience: Why Every Moment Matters | Glasswood Storyworks
“Patience isn’t something you’re born with; it’s something you grow. Every pause, every breath, every moment you choose calm over chaos, that’s where strength begins.”
If this story resonated with you, share it with a parent, teacher, or friend who could use a reminder to slow down today.
Planting wonder. Rooted in imagination. Grown through inspiration. Created with heart.™
Planting wonder. Rooted in imagination. Grown through inspiration. Created with heart.™
Behind the scenes. Early reveals. Follow our journey.
This episode explores:
How patience can be cultivated, not inherited
Why slowing down helps us move forward in life, family, and work
The hidden cost of impatience and how it shapes our stress, focus, and relationships
Simple ways to bring mindfulness and empathy into everyday routines
How small acts of stillness create space for joy, balance, and gratitude
The importance of being present with our children — even in life’s busiest seasons
Why every moment, no matter how ordinary, holds lasting value
In a fast-paced world where constant movement feels like progress, it’s easy to forget the quiet power of stillness. In this episode of Within the Glasswood Forest, Jonathon Guidry — CEO & Co-Founder of Glasswood Storyworks, writing with his wife Sarah Guidry under the shared pen names Eden J. Spark & M. Rose — explores one of life’s most underestimated virtues: patience.
Through stories of parenting, leadership, and creativity, Jonathon reflects on how slowing down can actually help us move forward: how every pause shapes perspective, how stillness builds strength, and how patience transforms the way we live, teach, and create.
The Cultivation of Patience
Patience, Jonathon explains, isn’t something you’re born with — it’s something you grow. It’s a virtue we can cultivate through mindfulness, empathy, and intention. Contrary to popular belief, patience isn’t fixed; it develops through practice.
He draws parallels between his life as a parent and as a business leader, describing the discipline required to juggle multiple projects and responsibilities while keeping perspective intact. For him, a well-managed task list isn’t just productivity — it’s peace of mind. Each completed goal, highlighted in green on his tablet or spreadsheet, becomes a small act of balance and self-accountability.
Still, he admits, even the most structured systems can feel overwhelming. That’s when self-awareness matters most — recognizing limits, leaning on support, and learning to breathe when the weight of responsibility feels heavy.
Family, Balance, and Perspective
Throughout the episode, Jonathon shares how patience intertwines with family life. His wife’s gentle reminders — noticing when he’s quiet or distant — become signals to pause, reflect, and realign.
He reminds listeners that not all stress is created equal: a $10 decision can sometimes feel as heavy as a $20 million one. The weight we assign to problems often depends more on emotion than circumstance.
Through that lens, patience becomes a filter — a way to see which moments truly deserve our energy. By learning to respond with grace instead of urgency, we give ourselves and our families room to breathe.
Traffic, Empathy, and Everyday Grace
In one of the episode’s most relatable moments, Jonathon reflects on the experience of being stuck in Houston traffic. For many, a delay can ruin the day — but for him, it’s now an opportunity to practice empathy.
He asks listeners to imagine the unseen story behind every slowdown: the family involved in an accident, the worker repairing the road, the lives quietly altered beyond our view. Instead of frustration, what if we offered compassion?
That shift in perspective — from irritation to understanding — is the foundation of true patience. “Patience,” he says, “is empathy in motion.”
The Hidden Cost of Impatience
Impatience, Jonathon explains, carries a cost that often goes unnoticed. It wears down our health, our focus, and our relationships. Stress compounds, sleep suffers, and what starts as a small frustration can ripple through the entire day.
He shares how balancing fitness, work, and creativity helps regulate that tension. Morning runs before sunrise become a form of meditation — a way to release energy, clear the mind, and begin the day centered.
For parents, he reminds us, fatigue and impatience go hand in hand. “Our kids don’t need perfection,” he says. “They just need our presence.”
Parenthood and Presence
At the heart of Finding Patience lies one question: Are we making time for what matters most?
Jonathon describes his desire to ensure that, even after long days filled with deadlines and meetings, his children still see Dad the storyteller. The one who reads before bed, who listens, who laughs.
He admits how easy it is to postpone the little things — family walks, bedtime stories, shared laughter — until “later.” But later often never comes. Patience, in this sense, isn’t passive; it’s an active choice to slow down and stay present.
“Every bedtime story, every laugh, every walk outside matters,” he reminds us. “Those small pieces become the foundation of who they’ll be.”
Order, Discipline, and Calm
Jonathon also explores how order can create peace. For him, building schedules, deadlines, and task “buckets” — small, medium, large — isn’t about control; it’s about freedom. When everything has a place, there’s more space for life.
But even with systems in place, he admits that stress still finds its way in. The challenge isn’t to eliminate chaos, but to manage it with patience.
He encourages listeners to categorize not only their tasks, but their thoughts: Is this really worth my stress? Is this moment truly urgent?
That mindset, he explains, has reshaped his leadership, parenting, and personal growth.
Mindfulness in a Distracted World
In the later half of the episode, Jonathon examines how digital habits affect our patience. He discusses the small but transformative act of setting daily limits on phone use — not to disconnect from the world, but to reconnect with it.
By reducing screen time, he found not only more hours in the day, but more clarity. Moments once lost to scrolling became opportunities for reading, reflection, or simply rest.
He challenges listeners to do the same: track their screen time, set limits, and rediscover what focus feels like. “If you can lose patience,” he says, “you can also find it.”
Stillness as Strength
Patience, Jonathon concludes, is not weakness — it’s strength refined by stillness. It’s what allows us to see clearly when the world moves too fast, to lead with calm instead of reaction, and to nurture our relationships instead of rushing through them.
He reminds listeners that cultivating patience begins with a single step: taking ownership of our pace. Whether in parenting, business, or personal growth, slowing down allows us to move with purpose.
“Patience isn’t something you wait for,” he says. “It’s something you build—one calm moment at a time.”
Looking Ahead
As Glasswood Storyworks continues to grow, Jonathon shares updates on current projects and upcoming initiatives. The Roaring Adventures series under Eden J. Spark nears completion, while new picture books move into their illustration stages.
He also announces a plan to bring storytime directly into future podcast episodes — reading children’s stories aloud for families and classrooms to enjoy together.
At the close, Jonathon extends an open invitation to writers and dreamers to join Glasswood’s mission: to create stories that inspire wonder, joy, and purpose in the next generation.
Closing Reflection
Finding Patience is more than an episode — it’s a call to presence.
To breathe before reacting.
To choose empathy over frustration.
To make room for what matters most.
Because every moment — no matter how small — shapes the story we’re writing with our lives.
Transcript of the interview Podcast: Within the Glasswood Forest – Episode 5
Opening
Welcome back to Within the Glasswood Forest. This is Episode 5. Today, we’re taking a step back to talk about something simple but deeply important—patience.
In this episode, we’ll explore what patience really means in today’s fast-paced world, how to cultivate it, and why every moment truly matters. We’ll also talk about the hidden cost of impatience and the impact it has on our health, our families, our leadership, and our creativity.
The Rhythm of Work and Progress
At Glasswood Storyworks, everything is moving forward. Multiple stories are in development at once—each in a different stage of writing, editing, illustration, or design.
I’ve always been someone who works best under pressure. Coming from years in the industrial world, I’m used to wearing multiple hats and balancing responsibilities. That structure keeps me sharp and motivated. I like having a full plate—it gives me a sense of purpose and ownership.
I’m also a huge note-taker. Anyone who’s worked with me knows I keep a running to-do list. Every completed task gets highlighted in green before I erase it. That green checkmark means accomplishment—it’s my visual reminder that something is done, and it brings an instant sense of fulfillment.
Still, juggling twenty or thirty items at once can be overwhelming. Even with systems in place, it’s easy to let stress pile up. That’s where patience comes in. Learning when to pause and breathe has been essential—not just for productivity, but for health and perspective.
Support and Awareness
I’m lucky to have my wife, Sarah, in my corner. She’s often the first to notice when I’ve gone quiet or withdrawn into my own head. Sometimes, a simple “Are you okay?” is all it takes to reset my focus.
Support systems matter. Everyone has different capacities for stress, and recognizing your limits isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. Patience with ourselves and others helps us find balance.
The Creative Process
Writing under our pen names, Eden J. Spark and M. Rose, we’re nearing the finish line for our middle-grade novel The Roaring Adventures—a working title soon to be officially revealed.
Some days I write late into the night; other times I dictate entire chapters aloud. Speaking ideas helps me move faster than typing, though it requires trust in the process. Dictation allows creativity to flow naturally without stopping to overthink every sentence.
Writing like this feels organic. I don’t always start at the beginning—I often write scenes as they come to me, then weave them together later. Each idea grows into the next, and the story takes on a life of its own.
We’re also developing several picture books. The artwork is underway, and we can’t wait to share them soon.
New Additions to the Podcast
We’re introducing something new to Within the Glasswood Forest: story-time readings.
At the end of each episode, we’ll share short read-alongs from our children’s books or upcoming releases from other Glasswood authors. Parents and teachers can play them in classrooms or at bedtime, giving children a chance to enjoy the stories aloud—just like we do at home.
We’ll also publish these segments separately on YouTube and podcast platforms so families can follow along anytime. Reading with kids isn’t just entertainment—it’s connection. Bringing those voices and emotions to life reminds us why storytelling matters.
Why Patience Matters
In today’s world, patience feels rare. We rush from one task to the next, juggling endless to-do lists and wondering why we feel anxious or unfulfilled. But patience gives space for reflection, empathy, and calm.
Take traffic, for example—especially in Houston, where congestion never seems to end. It’s easy to grow frustrated when delays happen, but I remind myself: someone ahead may have just had their worst day. Maybe there’s been an accident, maybe someone’s hurt. That shift in perspective instantly replaces anger with empathy.
Patience grows when we learn to look beyond ourselves. When we stop asking “Why is this happening to me?” and start thinking “Who else might need grace right now?”, we rediscover compassion.
The Hidden Cost of Impatience
Impatience doesn’t just drain energy—it drains health. It raises stress, affects sleep, and shortens tempers.
As parents, we often sacrifice rest for productivity. Most nights, I get five to six hours of sleep. But I’ve learned that a morning run clears my mind and resets my rhythm. Exercise helps regulate my patience. It releases tension so that the rest of the day feels manageable.
Heart health, mental clarity, and self-awareness all improve when we slow down. Patience isn’t about standing still—it’s about moving intentionally.
Presence Over Perfection
Even with careful scheduling, things slip. Family events get postponed, small promises are delayed, and time with loved ones gets pushed aside. But our kids don’t need perfection—they need presence.
My children love storytime. Every night, they ask for “just one more” story, one more silly voice, one more minute. Those are the moments that matter most. They don’t measure love by finished projects or business milestones—they feel it in laughter and shared time.
Presence is the legacy we leave behind.
Managing Time and Technology
To stay balanced, I organize tasks into three categories: small, medium, and large. I work steadily through big projects while knocking out smaller ones in between. It keeps me efficient without burning out.
I’ve also set strict phone limits. It’s easy to lose hours scrolling social media, then wonder why there’s no time left for family or creativity. Seeing a “time limit reached” alert reminds me how quickly minutes turn into hours.
Every moment reclaimed from distraction is a moment returned to purpose.
Cultivating Patience
Patience isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you build.
You can lose it, but you can also find it again.
It begins with small steps: pausing before reacting, taking a breath in traffic, setting boundaries on technology, giving yourself grace. Each act of restraint strengthens emotional endurance.
We all have the capacity to relearn patience. It’s not passive—it’s a daily choice to stay grounded.
The Glasswood Invitation
At Glasswood Storyworks, we’re continuing to grow our creative family. We’re seeking authors with imagination, passion, and purpose—people who write to inspire children and spark curiosity.
Whether it’s your first book or your fiftieth, if your story carries heart and wonder, we’d love to see it. Every Glasswood author receives a dedicated page on our website, professional support, and access to readers around the world.
We welcome fiction, nonfiction, fantasy, mystery, and adventure. If your work plants seeds of inspiration, reach out through GlasswoodStoryworks.com.
Closing Reflections
Patience is the art of giving time back its meaning.
When we slow down to notice the world, to listen, and to be with those we love, nothing is truly lost.
Every moment matters—and when we treat it that way, we find peace in the spaces between.
Thank you for joining us for Within the Glasswood Forest. We’ll see you next time from the mountains of Arkansas as our journey continues.
Glasswood Storyworks — planting wonder, rooted in imagination.