I'm a habitually prompt person, so much so that it's a bit of a joke with my family and friends. My best friend, who is always at least ten minutes late everywhere, actually frequently gives me an incorrect time to meet her places so that I won't have to wait too long for her arrival.
The topic of promptness is fresh on my mind today thanks to a column in my local paper by Harvey Mackay – unfortunately I can't find the article online anywhere. Suffice it to say, the article entitled "Being late isn't only wrong, it's quite rude" talks about the virtues of being prompt. Mackay insists that "punctuality is more than just good manners; it's a mark of character."
Are you a person who typically runs late? Perhaps this is one of those behaviors that is actually possible to change. Here's a helpful resource called "Help for the chronically late".
A great place to start might be with being on time (or better yet, early) to Sunday mass. Arriving promptly helps us to place ourselves in the presence of our God, who loves us so greatly and is waiting for us in the Eucharist. By arriving early, we also have time to review the Sunday readings in advance of their proclamation. You may even luck into a better parking spot and your favorite pew!
I'm actually working on being not quite so early to everything, if you can imagine that!
