Today’s letter T is all about TIME–the most precious and fleeting commodity we humans have. We spend it, we waste it, we lose it, we find it, we set it aside for things we want or love to do. Sometimes we have a good TIME; sometimes we have a bad TIME. I hate it when things TIME out, but I love it when my losing team takes TIME out to plan new strategies.
TIME is also one of the silent communication forces at work between people. If you’re ten minutes late to an event, is that okay? Do you have to apologize? Probably not.
If it’s going to be twenty minutes to half an hour don’t you feel you have to say something? “The traffic was terrible.” “I’m so sorry, but . . .”
Then let’s go for more than thirty minutes or more. Do you call ahead to say something’s held you up? Do you arrive with flowers? Is your apology more elaborate?
Of course, the formality of a situation and some personal variation are always factors, but in general this is the North American time etiquette.
I love to talk about time etiquette in our culture. What’s really interesting is to discuss how this silent communication works in social situations involving different cultures. But that’s for another TIME when I’m not in the A to Z Challenge mode.
For now, Tempus Fugit, so go say hi to the A-Z bloggers who have something to say about the letter T.