Good Monday morning to you all :)
Yesterday I was reminded of something Sir Charles Court used to say. “If you are not 10 minutes early, you’re late.”
Once, I would have agreed with that statement, but not any more. All my life I have endeavoured to be early – didn’t matter what the occasion was. I was so conscious of not being late, that sometimes I would sit in my car for 20 minutes at my appointed place just to make sure I was there on time.
Then one day not so long ago, that all changed.
It was the first wet day of the winter season. My brother had arrived the night before, so I’d been chatting to him with one eye on the clock, conscious of my morning counselling appointment. Then the rain began to bucket down! Suddenly I had two girls to drop at school. One 10 minutes south, and the other 10 minutes west. My brother stepped in and offered to drive one, and I took the other. By now I knew that I was going to be late for my appointment, and felt sick in the stomach.
The usual 35 minute drive ended up taking close to 50 min. By the time I arrived (15 minutes late), I was anxious, flustered, embarrassed and apologetic. The counsellor was somewhat amused, and asked, ‘Haven’t you ever been late before?’
I was surprised. ‘No, I haven’t… at least not that I can remember.’
‘How do you feel about being late?’ he asked.
‘That I am a failure, unreliable, disrespectful… it’s the ultimate in rudeness.’ I replied seriously.
Needless to say, the planned trauma counselling session was postponed. We spent time discussing ‘late’ and I came away with a new, healthier attitude about being late. I still endeavour to be on time, but it is not the end of the world if I don’t make it there with 10 minutes to spare.
DJ
(C) DJ Stutley 2012
