There are two kinds of people in the world; those who are late and those who are not.
People who are chronically late for everywhere they have to be and everything they have to do, drive those who are not late, crazy!
People who are late are considered to be; inconsiderate of others, disrespectful and rude. Not to mention, lazy and unreliable. Should they be?
I will admit it, I am a LATE person. It doesn't matter how hard I try not to be. Even when I am making good time, I am later than I should be. When I have lots of time to get ready, I need and use lots of time. If I only have a few minutes, I only take a few minutes...(more than what I need). Let me clarify, I am not usually late for start times, but late for being early, (make sense).
Anyway, I have carried this around with me for years as a huge fault to me as a person. I have felt guilty about it and have felt lesser compared to all you, "have-it-all-together-early-bird-types." I know I have been seen as scatter brain-ish and I have felt that way too.
But here's the thing. Over the past couple of years I have taken some pretty reliable and trusted personality testing. One was even an all-day seminar to help you understand why you are the way you are. And, each time it has come up that this 'lateness' is a part of my make-up, my personality. For me to be early/on time for anything would completey be outside of my character. I can do it yes, but not without huge effort.
You know that person who can never find their keys?.....that's me. That person who is always running for the bus that just pulled away?...yep, me again!
When I was in that seminar, I was made to feel lesser because of these traits. We were the unreliable ones, the ones who weren't on the ball. So we are often left feeling undesirable and worthless.
I am not irresponsible, or unreliable.
As my kids continue to develop, I can see that one of my sons is just like me. You have to ask him several times before he brushes his teeth or puts his clothes on etc. It's not because he is being disobedient, it's just that between his bedroom and the bathroom (which are 10 steps away) he finds 15 different interesting things to look at, tinker with and discover. We are trying to cultivate that but it is so much easier to get angry. What happens? He gets frustrated and upset. A classic example of not measuring up to the expectations of the "non-late people."
I am supposed to accept and embrace who I am and not feel guilty about it. This, I am trying to do. But how can you do that when you are forever frustrating, annoying and disappointing all those non-late people???
Thoughts?
Monday, October 03, 2005
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14 comments:
I am a non-late person. I am frustrated when I am late. I am often now made late because my husband is a late person. I am learning to bend. It is hard not to feel the guilt though. I hate putting people out when I am late.
However...I think we all need to be a little more understanding of others whatever the situation be lateness or whatever.
No this blog didn't stem from a fight between a late wife and an anal on-time freak husband.
Living in Bermuda taught me something about relaxing a little on the time thing.
Still, I hate being late - most especially when there is either an expectation of a start or meet time i.e. 10 a.m. or when I've given someone my word and I don't follow through.
Steve
I with ya Leslie, I am a late person....never drastically late, just always a few minutes behind.
I am right in the middle with this one girl. Sometimes late, sometimes not. Depends what drama the kids are in when we're supposed to be out the door! This was great, thanks!!!
It's hard to find a balance between celebrating who you are as a person and wanting to improve on what you consider to be your character flaws. Have you tried setting the clock you use most ahead fifteen minutes? Works for me.
Yes Evey, you have always been late. Always...and I still love you.
Like Evey, I am never drastically late just a few minutes behind everyone else.
On a positive note, I am never the last one at a meeting or such! There are always others later than me wherever I go.
Late married to a compulsive early person, so I hear you. I think the term 'South Meadows Time' was coined in part because of me.
- Peace
Okay so I am never on time-but mine is backwards. I am always early! I can't just be on time. It drives me crazy! And then when I run into someone who is late that means I have been waiting for way too long. Ugghhhh.
I used to always be on time but now that I have a child I am always running behind. I still make it on time though. I hate being late...it causes me stress. I also get upset with people who are always late...sorry.
"I am not usually late for start times, but late for being early"
Late for being early? I read that as being on time. So what's the problem with being on time? You're not late, you're not early. On time. What?
Lori writes the truth. I'm just like you. Tardy.
I once missed the bus because I was looking at a snail.
rev,
what I meant is that if I am required to be somewhere on the hour, then I should be there before the hour so that when the hour hits I am settled and ready to go, not running in on the hour (which is actually on time) which turns into being late!
And sometimes I am just plain late.
When I am going somewhere with Steve, I am better and rarely late. He keeps me moving because being on time (a few minutes early) is important to him. For this I am thankful.
I'm a non late person in the beginning. When it comes to my job or even meeting with friends, I will be early the first couple of months. Then I start slacking off and even be late a few times. I wonder what that means concerning my personality. Hmmm...
Btw, thanks for stopping by my blog!
I am a non-late person, my husband is a late person. It does drive me nuts.
I have learned to adjust my schedule so I give him plenty of extra time to get where we need to go. I usually just lie and tell him we have to be somewhere at 2 when we don't actually have to be there until 4. It gets him ready on time, most of the time anyway. LOL
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