Time is of the essence.

“I’m late, I’m late ...” cries the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland. Mad though he may be, he seems to be singing our song. How often do conversations end abruptly when one conversant looks at his watch and leans impatiently into the “rush” position? How often do people dash past each other, eyes averted, muttering “Late for a meeting, gotta run...” as a substitute for a personal greeting and a moment of connection? How often do we tell ourselves and others we simply don’t have enough time for a reflective meeting, for reading something inspiring, for one last kiss good-bye?