abaya

If someone locked the door when I was late, I would certainly understand and simply turn around and find something else to do. Remember that when I did crew, we had to jump into ice-cold water at 5am if we were even 1 minute late... so I know how to react to penalties for being late.

But If the door is not locked, I come in as quietly as possible (the door hardly clicks, I have it down to an art), sit in the back, and pay attention studiously after that. Usually it is no more than 5 minutes at most... more than that and I often decide to skip the event entirely.

Everyone has a right to enforce their own sense of "lateness," certainly. The fact is, though, that in many of the classes I attend are taught by professors who are late to just about everything, often to their own classes. When I teach, I am sometimes a minute or two late as well, and as a result I choose not to be harsh on others who are late. (I may be tardy at times, but I won't be a hypocrite on top of that.) Now, if someone shows up 20-30 minutes late for a class, they get a major frown from me and I note that they have showed up that late (usually they are pretty chronic, and their grades are low anyway).

I'm not proud of being late, but I try to be on time most of the time and if I mess up, I mess up. And I move on. Being late is simply a reality that most people have to deal with. I can either let it stress me out, or let go and do my best and forgive others when they're trying hard to be on time.

__________________
And think not you can direct the course of Love;
for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
--Khalil Gibran