MISS LATE

She was to be a winter's child but she was born in spring. They said she'd never speak but then she did at three. A February's baby born in March, her parents thought it was a curse. Their girl loved to take her time so they named her 'Late'. Late was late in getting up, growing up and catching up. She was late to class, late to church and late to work. She delayed in arriving, delayed in learning and delayed in understanding. She made headlines because she couldn't meet deadlines. The pastor would see her tip toe to a pew just before the grace was said. He'd shake his head and whisper a prayer. A few suitors left her wounded; she was late in loving. By the time she fell for them, it was too late.

One day Miss Late sat by a tree, late in the afternoon. There walked an old man in his late seventies. "Why the long face?" he asked. She took her time, "Because I'm always late," she replied.

"Three things", he said.

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west... No matter how fast or slow we do our things, it always has and always will.

A caterpillar is quite unsightly. But day by day, the slow caterpillar changes into a beautiful butterfly.

The tortoise is unforgivably slow. But by one hundred years, he will outlive us all.

As she thought about his words, the old man began to walk away. "Sir, what do they call you?" Miss Late asked. "Wisdom", he smiled and replied.

We live in a world that believes in instant things: Instant coffee, instant shower, instant success... and the list is endless. But the things that endure are those that take time. Should I talk of precious diamonds and the millions of years it took to form them? Should I talk of a baby in a mother's womb? Should I talk of talent and the years it takes to perfect? Should I talk of a tree and the years it takes to grow?

Real relationships take time. Real success takes time. Real love takes time. Real talent takes time. Real knowledge takes time. Real... well real everything takes time.

And the beauty of the wisdom is in knowing the difference; the difference between perceived lateness or success in the making.