Patience
Sheila Nicholls Lyrics


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A silent virtue
I don't want to hurt you
Reflex to old imprinting
Your eyes are squinting
And it seems
I'm not what you wanted me to be
Now I know I'm not what I said that I was
I just wanted this to be true
I'm not sure where I went
But you deserve someone more innocent

I searched for reasons to it
Four seasons through it
You came quite unexpected
So unprotected
And it seems I'm not what you wanted me to be
Now I know I'm not what I said that I was
I just wanted this to be true
I'm not sure where I went
But you deserve someone more innocent

I'll just prove to myself
That I cannot be trusted
Maybe I'm too much like my father
And if you knew him you would know he's still searching for his mother
And every other but mine
Whatever is still searching in him
Is still searching in me
'cause I'm still looking for here
Albeit vicariously





We spoke with such conviction
Imprisoned freedom

Overall Meaning

The song "Patience" by Sheila Nicholls is a reflection of the singer’s personal experiences and feelings about a relationship that has come to an end. The term "patience" in the song represents the virtue of being patient with oneself and others as one navigates through the complicated emotions of love and relationships.


The opening lines of the song, "A silent virtue, I don't want to hurt you, reflex to old imprinting, your eyes are squinting", suggest the singer’s hesitation in admitting the truth to their partner about their feelings. The next lines, "And it seems, I'm not what you wanted me to be, now I know I'm not what I said that I was, I just wanted this to be true", reveal that the singer has come to the realization that their partner had certain expectations that they were not able to live up to.


The singer goes on to say that they are not sure where they went wrong in the relationship, but they have come to believe that their partner deserves someone more "innocent." The final verse reflects the singer’s introspective thoughts and suggests that perhaps the reason for their failure in relationships may be due to their own personal demons and emotional baggage.


Overall, "Patience" is a deep and introspective song about the complexities of love and the importance of being honest and patient with oneself and others when navigating through it.


Line by Line Meaning

A silent virtue
Being patient is a quiet, respectable quality


I don't want to hurt you
I don't want to hurt your feelings or disappoint you


Reflex to old imprinting
I'm behaving based on old habits ingrained in me from the past


Your eyes are squinting
I can tell from your facial expressions that you're skeptical of me


And it seems I'm not what you wanted me to be
It appears that I'm not living up to your expectations


Now I know I'm not what I said that I was
I realize that I haven't been honest with myself or you


I just wanted this to be true
I had hoped that what we had was real


I'm not sure where I went But you deserve someone more innocent
I'm not sure what went wrong, but I see that you deserve someone who is more pure and trustworthy than me


I searched for reasons to it
I tried to find explanations for what went wrong between us


Four seasons through it
I've been thinking about this for a long time


You came quite unexpected So unprotected
You appeared suddenly in my life and I wasn't prepared for it


I'll just prove to myself That I cannot be trusted
I'll accept that I've made mistakes and can't be relied upon


Maybe I'm too much like my father And if you knew him you would know he's still searching for his mother And every other but mine Whatever is still searching in him Is still searching in me 'cause I'm still looking for here Albeit vicariously
Perhaps my issues stem from my father and his search for his own identity. I'm still searching for something too, albeit in a different way


We spoke with such conviction Imprisoned freedom
Even though we talked confidently, we ended up restricting our own personal freedom




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JUSTIN NICHOLLS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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