THE POWER OF PUNCTUALITY

Milton, here for Kristy:

I sat on the edge of the bed in Norma's guest bedroom. What can I read before I fall asleep? There is a stack of books on the night stand. Humor Me by Barbara Johnson was on top. I could use some humor so I picked Johnson's book up and then I saw them. The books.

Autographed Copy written on a sticky label leaped off the front of the book. Then I saw two books. These are two of Kristy's books. They are autographed copies. I opened one of the books and see Kristy's handwriting:

"To

Norma--

Sister and friend--

Thanks for your

love and support.

Love,

Kristy

Eph. 1:8"

"I don't have a personalized autograph copy of any of Kristy's books," I sadly thought. Tears are streaming down my face by that time. "But, oh, read the dedication, To my hero husband....." I read and then it dawned on me that is printed in every copy of every book she had published. She thought that I was her hero. Wow.

I looked at the first page of "Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy" and read down the page, "...This was something she (Shirley) never did--sit and while away time."

I know that person. That is Kristy speaking through Shirley's voice. Shirley is Kristy.

Kristy hated waste. She couldn't stand putting off or goofing off. When driving her car, she always moved to the short line of cars as she approached red lights. She had things to do, places to go, work to be finished, and new tasks awaiting. She wanted to be first out of the intersection to get to where she was going.

She hated wasted time. She was patient with others, but not when there was incompetence or lack of thoughtfulness and respect of other's time--including her time.

She knew the shortcuts but never took them at the expense of excellence. She refused shortcuts that made things look like yesterday's leftovers.

Do you know she never was late to meet any deadlines for any article or book or for anything else she committed to do? Now, again, I admit I am romantically biased, but tell me or show me proof of anything other than what I have just written about Kristy.

Kristy understood and lived with diligent commitment to keep her word and to respect other's time.

Timely, get it done now, hater of procrastination, and task completer all described her. She wasn't a braggart or big talker. She was a doer. Ask anyone who was around her long. This lady wouldn't wait until tomorrow. Procrastination was a dirty word.

Kristy understood the power of punctuality.

If you want to get something done, include punctuality. It might just make things go better for everyone.

Kristy's story included a quote from "Little Women" that describes my beloved, "When the writing fit came on, she gave herself up to it with entire abandon...while she sat safe and happy in an imaginary world, full of friends almost as real and dear to her as any in the flesh."

I lay down on the bed reading the first chapter of Kristy's book with movie images of my dear redhead playing on my mind's screen. She was busy with no wasted motion, powerfully and punctually fulfilling her life's dream. And now she is gone.

Here is a good thought. Don't wait. Do it now. Time is wasting.

***

How is Julie, Jennifer, and the grands?

They each are dealing with Kristy's loss differently. Julie misses her mom helping her get her classroom all set up to start the new school year. Jennifer is getting Claudia ready for pre-school. All the grands are getting back into their routines.

I sorely miss them all. I miss Kristy most of all.