I have just learned two new German words.
Früh and spät. Early and Late.
In Germay, things go very much according to schedule. These are important words to know! When someone makes an appointment with you for a certain time, they mean that time. In fact, when someone says they will meet you between 8 and 8:30 they actually mean 8. Indeed when you ask what time it is in German, you ask how late it is!
But can you actually be late?
I’ve often been late for things. Even today as I cruised down the road on an unbeleivable beautiful Spring day, I thought to myself… geez I should hurry up, I really should be closer to Berlin now. But, I have no appointments today. I have none tomorrow. Nonetheless, I this nagging feeling I am behind schedule and need to hurry up.
I am begining to suspect that it is a residual cultural indoctrination. Why should I have this late feeling? I am begining to understand that in fact my moment is perfect. I am not late for anything. I am not early. I just am. Early and late are artificial constructs that tempt the mind out the moment into worry and anxiety.
Today, a little tired from two parties late into the night in Berlin, I decided to take a nap. I pulled over found a nice tree beside a pond filled with Swans and closed my eyes. Late? For what? I am on time. I am on time down to the millisecond. The vast intricacies of my moment are unfolding perfectly. Try, worry and fret as I might, it cannot be any other way.
Going through a small German town I pulled over to take a photo of this Church clock. I had been just thinking about these ideas. In fact I was thinking it would make a great addition to this blog post. To illustrate with divine elegance the verity of my ponderings, the Church bell rang just as I took this photo.
And technically it hadn’t even turned 5:30 yet.
Don’t ask me how that happened!
