I didn’t like the way my Friday began.  When I got out of bed, I thought the time must be about 5:30–5:45.  (I had hit the snooze button once.)  When my eyes finally focused, I realized it was nearly 6:30.  “What happened?” I wondered.

I staggered into the guest bedroom and put on my gym clothes.  When I got to the gym the early, early morning rush was over, and the parking lot wasn’t quite as full.  There was a slightly different crowd present.  In a way it was disorienting.  My normal routines were all askew.

I got home and did what I normally do after the gym:  open the paper, prepare breakfast, answer e-mail and do some busy work.  By the time I get done with that I’m cooled down and ready for my shower.  But it was after 8:00 when I got to that.  This was not good.

A little later in the morning I had this niggling feeling that I had missed something.  Indeed.  I had a 7:30 haircut appointment.  On any other morning I would have made that with no problem.  But on this morning I had failed to check my PDA or look too closely at the clock.  I called Lori to apologize and to see if she had an opening.  She acted like it was no big deal and gave me a 2:00 appointment, shoe-horning me into her busy day.

I had 11:00 and 3:00 appointments for the day.  On Thursday a person told me, “Call me at 11:00 tomorrow; I’ll be free then, and I’d like to talk with you.”  I dutifully called at 11:00.  “Mr. Smith is not available,” I was told.  I explained I was just keeping an appointment that he had set up.  I felt a little verklempt.

My 3:00 appointment was changed to 3:30.  I went to the designated meeting place and waited…..  Nearly 20 minutes later I got a call.  “I’m on the way.”  He finally got there at 4:10.  I had actually lost an hour and a half or so for a meeting that should have taken 30 minutes.  I was feeling really self-righteous.

Then I remembered my 7:30 appointment which I botched.  I remembered my hair stylist’s grace.  It made it easier to quit feeling verklempt.  I had no basis to feel self-righteous.  We all need grace.