Stars

We may not have hot water.  We may not have the greatest selection of food.  We may not have a thriving economy.  We may not have movie theaters.  We may not have high-speed internet connections.  We may not have the everyday conveniences that we are used to in America.  But one thing that there is an abundance of here on Yap is time.

            This time is often filled with many physical projects, cleaning, cooking, and reading.  But one thing that this seemingly endless supply of time has offered me is the opportunity to think and reflect.  I find myself putting on my “Looking at the Stars” or “Oh Hey Jesus” playlist and just letting my mind wander.  I am able to contemplate the deep inner questions that always manage to fight their way to the surface of my consciousness, but they usually get quickly dragged back underneath by the constant waves of apparently necessary business or over-stimulation.  Here on the island, there are no pressing matters – there is no reason to get distracted – there is peace, and calm, and time.  In this quiet, I have been able to truly focus on the most important questions that travel through my mind. 

            Most often, I find myself getting lost in my thoughts while gazing at the stars.  The never-ending lights in the sky go on for galaxies on this serene island, free of all intruding light.  I thought I had seen some of the most clear skies, filled with stars during my many nights camping, but the Micronesian sky is so inundated with tiny white lights that I cannot even begin to find the most basic of constellations.  These are the skies that poets have tried to capture through words for centuries, the skies that artists never seem to be able to convey just right.  These skies are pure – and you can let your mind run free in them. 

            It has been nearly a month since my arrival on Yap, and I have already grown more than I could possibly imagine.  I have discovered how much genuine care, support, and love I have from my friends and family.  I have put to use the many skills, both mental and physical that I accrued over the past years.  I have formed new friendships and relationships that cannot compare to anything I have ever felt before.  I have gazed into the eternal heavens of countless, brilliant stars, and have affirmed that I am where I am meant to be.

A view from one of the highest points on the island

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.”

                                                                                                            -Mother Teresa