THE 5-MINUTE MYTH: HOW 'COMING SOON' BECAME A NATIONAL MOOD

 

There’s a curious phrase woven into the fabric of daily life: “I’m coming in five minutes.” From friends to family, meetings to meals, this promise has become less of a concrete timeframe and more of a collective cultural rhythm — a national mood of anticipation and gentle delay.

Five minutes, it seems, is less about punctuality and more about grace, a soft buffer between urgency and patience. It’s the polite way to say, “I’m on my way,” without committing to exactness, allowing for the unpredictable chaos of life to unfold.

But why five minutes? Why not three, or ten?

Five feels like a perfect compromise — short enough to assure presence, long enough to account for the inevitable distractions and delays. It’s a cultural nod to the imperfect nature of timekeeping in a world where schedules collide with human unpredictability.

This “five-minute myth” speaks to something deeper: our collective negotiation with time itself. We live in a fast-paced era, yet cling to moments of delay as a way to soften transitions, manage expectations, and preserve relationships. Saying “five minutes” is a way of buying time — for ourselves and others — wrapped in social kindness.

Yet, this ritual can also breed a subtle tension. The waiting room of five minutes stretches into an ambiguous space where impatience, hope, and understanding mingle. It challenges our notions of punctuality, respect, and reliability.

Ultimately, “coming in five minutes” is less about the clock and more about connection — a shared understanding that life isn’t always on schedule, and that sometimes, the promise of arrival is enough to hold us together.

So next time you hear “five minutes,” don’t just check your watch. Listen for the unspoken message — a gentle pause in the rush, an invitation to be patient, and a reminder that time, like relationships, is fluid and forgiving.