Island Time

Hello all, Lynn asked that I post this affirmation. As we rush into finals and to the pseudo-freedom that awaits us in summer, I often find myself wondering about why we do things the way we do and why we rush everything we do. This of course got me thinking about other cultures and how they differ from our own. I have found that these affirmations are a good place to take note of how we currently view our lives against the backdrop of the world, our futures, and our current states of mind. So, per Lynn’s request here is my most recent affirmation. --Justin C.

Island Time
As I prepared for my trip to the Marquesas I was bombarded with references to “Island Time.” People spoke as if the flow of time was actually slowed by the remoteness of the islands. Now that I am here I get their meaning. This would be an interesting topic for a cultural anthropologist to study, had they the endurance to drift back and forth between cultures. Is it the longer days that make people move without any sense of urgency? Is it the rhythm of the ocean that guides their pace? Who knows? All I know is that adjusting back to American life is going to be painful. Sure we awake at dawn here on the island, but somehow it is easy to rise with the sound of roosters and waves to greet you. I dread the sound of my alarm clock calling me to a fast paced college life. I love college but I think the musician Jack Johnson got it right in his song “Breakdown.” I think Americans could stand to slow down and appreciate the world a bit more. I will never understand why we all wish to rush through life and only relax in our retirement years. I am reminded of the saying “Youth is wasted on the young.” Perhaps if we all learned to enjoy each day by following the rhythms of Island Time we would not have to wait until we are old to truly appreciate life.