I saw this advice again today: Never be late.

It has been a refrain repeated over and over and over in my life. Has it made a difference? Well… yes… reluctantly…

As a child I learned to wait. I can wait pretty patiently. There’s always stuff going on in my thoughts, and since I’m interested in literally everything, there’s never a lack of stuff to think about.

My husband is the opposite. He was driven to show up early, prepare in advance, get things done immediately, if not sooner. He taught me that being on time is important, and some mechanics in how to get going sooner. What he could not do, is change my internal mindset.

I have struggled with being on time all my life. Time has this annoying habit of passing. It goes away. The sun comes up, the sun goes down, and I’m reading a book, enjoying watching my children, talking with people, experiencing tastes, smells, and sounds. Why do I have to stop doing this thing to go do that thing?

Turns out working with people, keeping a society functioning, starts with coordinating with people. They did the work to show up; they want to know that I’m going to be there. Given the number of variables involved in getting any human out the door, dressed, fed, rested, wearing shoes, with hair combed, in a vehicle or on foot—you must have a trail or sidewalk—it’s a wonder any of us get anything done in groups.