“There never seems to be enough time to do the things you want to do once you find them.” –Jim Croce
June is almost here, as I write this, and with it, the sunshine and warm temperatures that us Long Islanders have 
been craving. It is interesting when you think about how we live on an island, but since it isn’t tropical, we are only allotted the time to truly experience its resources for a short few months.
Time—is that truly a thing that is thrust upon us, or is it something we create? For example: My husband will be taking a trip to Ireland with his parents. They are all three so busy with their own lives that there really was not an ideal time to go; however, when the opportunity arose, they took the time. My husband is good like that—taking time to savor life.
Being that June is the month we celebrate Father’s Day, I can openly say that this amazing man and father (influenced to a great degree by his amazing father) has a truly inspiring relationship with time. Notice I don’t say that he MAKES time; what he does—what we all should do—is he TAKES time. Actually, one could say he RESPECTS time. (Note to Kevin, if you are reading this: Your respect does NOT indicate that you are ever actually ON time!!!) What is respect for time? I have been thinking about that a lot lately. Primarily, I believe it is the profound understanding that our time is not infinite—that the only moment we are promised is the moment we are currently living in. I think he applies this thought—consciously or unconsciously—to everything he does.
This month of June marks a huge passing of time for me. My youngest will be turning sweet 16 and my oldest will be graduating high school. As I think back to their once-toothless grins, I feel as if TIME has quite literally kicked me in the gut. Time will do that; she’s a bitch. Kevin seems to manage the ruthlessness of time better than I do. Simply put, he reminisces but not for too long, and he dreams of the future but also not for too long. Primarily, he wakes up and thinks, “What’s on tap for today?” and he does it.
Focusing on the current day (and all the possibilities it holds) allows us to be “present” (annoying buzzword, I know!!) with the people that we love, and it allows us to utilize time in the best way possible. The famous expression is not “seize the year,” “seize the month” or look back and ask yourself, “Did I seize yesterday?” No, it is simply, “carpe diem,” or “seize the day.”
As June acts as the gateway to the summer here on Long Island, there will be days when we can play in the waters of our island and stroll the shoreline (picking up litter along the way, I hope), and nights when we can watch our time-dependent “tropical sunsets.” I hope that you squeeze every last ounce of love, excitement, productivity and inspiration into each day of June—that you quite simply carpe diem!
Malama Pono!
Kelly Martinsen, Publisher
