Can lateness be right?

During lent I've been following 40 acts (www.40acts.org.uk). Every day you get sent a suggestion for how you might live differently during lent.


The act today is about being on time to stuff. The writer suggests that 'Lateness, without genuine reason, says 'I am more important than you.' '


I'm not sure if I agree. Yes, I do get frustrated when people are late. I get even more frustrated with myself if I am late...... but then at times I get frustrated if I am too early.... 


I had a friend at school who was always late for everything - at least an hour. That wasn't because she thought she thought she was more important than us, but (having been there when she was getting ready) because she had her own pace and was disorganised. 


I wonder if lateness can also be about insecurity. If you arrive late you avoid the danger of standing on your own or having to talk one to one with someone for too long. If I have no responsibility I am often 2 or 3 minutes late so that I can make sure I can stand at the back and not get too involved. 


Lateness can also be a sign of busyness or the want to look busy. There are some people who are perpetually late for everything. Those people need to realise that it is OK not to look busy. This seems to be a hazard for ministers I think - I wonder if when you give the impression of being too busy you become unapproachable...... perhaps people might think they are not important enough to talk to you...... 


Nelson Mandela apparently said 'We must use time wisely and forever realise that the time is always ripe to do right.'


Perhaps when we are too disorganised to be on time, feel too self important to arrive first, too busy to not overlap meetings, too insecure to be there alone it might be worth stopping and thinking and seeing if what we are doing is right.