Recently I had a debate well let's say shared some insights with someone I am very close to about folks who are constantly late. I love her dearly but she “struggles” with tardiness. I rarely experience this bothersome phenomenon.
Let’s talk about the effects of lateness. Say I have a job interview and the potiential boss/interviewer shows up thirty minutes late for my appointment. This tells me if I get the job I can expect a few things in my employment. Like my reviews and raises will be late and the boss is a classic last minute non-planner.
Conversations with this Boss will go something like this, on a Thursday afternoon around 4pm.
Boss: Oh Analisa I will need you to book a conference room for tomorrow.
Me: Okay. What time would you like to schedule?
Boss: Lunch time and order some food, drinks and dessert.
(In sudden agony I open up my desk drawer and pop a Tums in my mouth).
Me: Is there any particular food you like me to order?
(Thinking:You won’t get it because all the good caterers need more than 24 hours notice. Then you will make me late putting the order in because you want to look at the menus first and complain about prices because you have NO CONCEPT OF TIME.)
Boss: Something light and healthy.
Me: Okay. How many people should I order for?
Boss: Oh just enough for the regular staff and President Obama.
Think this can't happen? Ok so maybe the 24 hour window for the caterers was a bit exaggerated, but you get my drift. How about a true story?
Last Sunday at church I sat in a different area, near the back. I could see the whole church and I was amazed at how many folks came to church late. I mean about fifteen to thirty minutes late. In my world this is sacrilege and being late should be listed as a sin. Maybe it could be the 11th commandment, or the 12th one after, Thou shall not leave thy dirty dish in the sinketh commandment.
Okay, lets’ get back to church. Well the compassionate ushers spoke to them in soft tones leading them to seats. Some of the time challenged wanted to find seats together for their large brood, all late, I mean all eight of them. I can imagine how the conversationabout them in heaven will go.
First Angel: Anybody seen the Johnson family? They were due to arrive at the Pearly Gates at 10am.
Second Angel: All of them?
First Angel: (checks her clipboard) Yeah all of them.
Second Angel: Well it is 10:45 now and I don’t see or hear anybody.
First Angel: What about that woman over there (She points at me).
Second Angel: Oh her, that’s Analisa. Her number wasn’t up, she’s just early.
On second thought forget everything I said about being late.
The ultimate of being successful is the luxury of giving yourself the time to do what you want to do.---Leontyne Price
We must use time creatively....and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.---Martin Luther King, Jr.
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*laughing* - you are funny, but in your "funnies" are truths!
I used to be late quite a bit when younger -never very late, but always at least a few minutes late --now I'm the opposite, I can't stand being late!
Kathryn,
I hate being late too. It makes me feel like I left the oven on. I think it came from being in high school and walking into class late and having silence fall and all those eyes drilling into me. UGH makes my stomach hurt to think of it.
I have always struggled with being late. I don't like this trait of mine, but it grips me hard. I mean no offense to anyone by my tardiness. It's just how I am. I know that those around me who have been irritated by my lateness have come to cover me with grace in this area. Love covers a multitude of sins.
Shannon,
Thank you for sharing. Those of us struggle with impatience are the ones less tolerant of folks who run late. I should remain loving and know when folks get up in the morning they are not going. "Hey I think I will be late for that." From what I can see they are flustered and sometimes disappointed in themselves for not being on time. We love you and sometimes being late is a blessing. Not to make something small, but so many people lived on 9/11 because they were late for work. Be blessed.
Analisa -- sometimes I skipped b'fast and had lunch and supper or whatever - food was so expensive!
The funny thing is - once I ordered a cup of coffee to go from the hotel restaurant - it wsa $5 - I drank it and then went back for a refill because the day before my $5 cup of coffee allowed for one refill - they brought me back my coffee and as I took a sip - that'l lbe $5 ma'am! OMG!!! $10 for coffee that morning! and what really chapped my rear end was when I had breakfast a couple days later, I ordered a cup of coffee from the same place, not to go but in the restaurant, and they gave me an entire carafe or is that carrafe - anyway - three cups for that same $5 - I was so mad!
thank goodness you don't live in Brasil - it is fashionable be late upward of an hour.... yep its your wedding, the priest is wainting in his holy robes, the organ music has repeated your choses music 5 times and your just slipping on your dress.
I have shown up two times now at the given time for a formal dinner and found the hostess in the shower.... I CANT stand it.
now I leave home 10 minutes after I am supposed to be there and am still always first to arrive but what can I do -