Island Time

Years ago, back in the before time, I worked as a nurse. As a nurse one of my most important pieces of equipment was a watch. I used it to keep a close eye on medication times, I needed it to take pulses and to count respirations, as well as noting the hours and minutes of important details for medical records. In our working lives we’re often a prisoner of time but in the nursing world we are truly slaves to it.

Because of medical problems, I no longer work, so I’m afforded the opportunity of not being such a slave to every waking minute. Living on a barrier island, time holds even less meaning. Very few, from the drivers on the roads to the clerks in stores, are ever in a hurry to do anything. Stores don’t always open when they should and it’s easy to lose track of time lounging at the beach.

But like everything in life, nothing is absolute, is it? There are times I just need to know what time it is, like when I want to catch the bus. I get tired of sitting at the bus stop waiting and waiting and waiting, never knowing how much longer I have to sit there until the bus arrives. Or like when I’m out and about and need to know how much longer I have before I have to pick up my son from work.

I used to carry a cell phone, which is blessed with the added function of a clock, but to be honest, I just don’t like keeping up with it. And, admittedly, I find them to be kind of an invasion of my privacy.

These Patek Philippe watches are sweet! Oh yes they are! But, I confess, they are very much out of my price range. Heh, I’ve always had champagne tastes on a beer budget.

However, in the short time I’ve tried to embrace Island Time to the fullest, I’ve come to realize the concept is not meant to be about the pesky minute by minute details. The concept of Island Time is more about enjoying life to the fullest and not letting the little things stress you out, like those rapidly waning tick-tock minutes. Instead, Island Time is meant to focus us on what is truly important.

We take a lot of things in life for granted. Time is probably one of the biggest victims of that. We always think we’ll have more time with a loved one, so we don’t say “I love you” as often as we should. We always think our kids will be with us forever, but we all know they grow up and move on to live their own lives—as it should be. Around the holidays, we always think, “I don’t have time to volunteer at the shelter this year, but I’ll be sure and do it next year.”

Island Time means the present is more important than the past, and the present certainly can’t be counted on to be the future. This holiday season, and every waking moment for that matter, love the one you’re with, cherish and nurture every second with your children and don’t put off helping those less fortunate than you.

Island Time means to live in the moment and living in the moment means appreciating everything and everyone!

So come on, y’all, let’s start living!