Always Late, Sometimes Late, Never Late

Write Down the Bones Deck to Free the Writer Within — This is my wish for you: that you take these cards, grab the topic on one side and write, write, write. Then flip to the other side of the card and take note.

I’ve always used the word topic instead of prompt. Prompt is the starting place, but topic indicates more the idea of plunging in and immersing. Natalie Goldberg

"Several years ago, the late Albert White Hat shared a story about discovering this phrase in old Lakota songs. Its original meaning had been forgotten over time, but Albert’s life mission was to save the traditional Sicangu Lakota language—the spirituality that lived in the words. A long time ago, “Indian time” did not have anything to do with clocks, calendars, or minutes, he said. In the old songs, the phrase spoke of courage, fortitude, and generosity." Carrie Billy - Tribal College, Journal of American Indian Higher Education

"Elder singers translated it as “I am ready to accept whatever happens, any place, any time.” For warriors, it meant “I am ready to die when in the face of danger.” They were not afraid because they were fully prepared, physically and psychologically. We, too, must always be ready. That is the real meaning of Indian time." Carrie Billy - Tribal College, Journal of American Indian Higher Education

Over the years, I have been told some other comments that have origins in India. I am not as familiar with that. To repeat them may be disrespectful to Indians from India.

The thing I grew up with about Indian time was that family is most important and when there is an expectation of family, you do that first, even if it makes you a few minutes late or means that you can't make a previous obligation.

Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones Deck Prompts/Topics - Write about arriving someplace late. A dinner? A job interview? A medical exam? Your aunt's funeral?

Late for dinner?

Not hardly, never!

A job interview?

I'm retired and due to

that, not me or some of you!

A medical exam?

I have been a day early, damn!

Never late for an aunt's funeral, the shortlist!

I have so many aunts, I have surely missed!

~~~~

Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones Deck Prompts/Topics - We are haunted by time. At the same moment, duration exists. The hugeness of sky, the movement of autumn or spring, the aging of a pear or a banana, the ripening of love. These cannot be measured by the demands of the clock.

Can you write about being late, how painful it was to disappoint someone or blow an appointment?

See where your mind takes you - - don't have preconceived ideas about what you should write. being late, you might discover, was your one strike for humanity - - the arena that cracked you open.

You don't ever remember being late? How come? Write about that. Explore your punctuality.

Now, I can relate to being late for a meeting. It happened just last night and I was told, "You are never late!" Nice!

Then as I age, I move slower. I am always saying at appointments when my name is called, "I'm sorry, I'm so slow." Then I'm told, "Take your time, you will have to wait for the doctor anyway!"

When with hubby, he thinks he is late when he isn't half an hour early, so I'm never late when with him. And he will lovingly call me SP when he wants to hurry me along. Which to me means sweetie pie and to him can mean slow poke.

And with my memory the way it is, if I don't have an alarm for an important phone appointment, Zoom or other online appointment, I have been known to be a few minutes late. 5 minutes late with a reminder message.

Old age is good for some things! I work on being on time though as it feels disrespectful of me to come in or go on late. I work on being respectful daily. Good thing I believe in progress, not perfection.

This morning I was reminded that when busy writing I can miss my greeting the sunrise, as I did just now. Darn!

Okay, no sun, a bit foggy, lots of snow piled up during the night. Sunrise 7:36 my time. I got out about an hour later. Much later than usual, although weeks ago sunrise was stuck at 7:58. It looks different every day.

Sadly, I won't make it to the water ceremony this morning as the road home last night was one lane and probably won't get plowed until later as there is such deep snow all over. We got probably 5 inches in most places around my neighborhood.