No question about it, things happen at a slower pace on Orcas Island. For some, that can be very frustrating, but for many of us, it is part of what we value about the island. Life moves with the rhythm of the ferries. It takes time to go just about anywhere. Our local merchants stock the essentials, but one cannot simply hop in the car to pick up something at the local home supply or discount store without spending the better part of a day. So, we plan ahead, consolidate our shopping, or wait for something to be ordered and delivered. There is a built-in overhead in time and cost in many aspects of our lives simply because we live on an island.

Should we change that? Can we change that even if we want to? Can a business on Orcas Island compete with a business on the mainland and still operate on Orcas time? I'm told that many of the people who come to Orcas Island do not like to work very hard; that Orcas Time means doing what you have to in order to survive, but not much more. A story that is widely circulated describes a homeowner's frustration with a tradesman who decided to go fishing in the middle of her project. How frustrating for the homeowner, but perhaps we envy the tradesman too for having a life as well as a profession. Which do we value more, commitment to a customer or a more relaxed life style?

In my opinion, the answer to this is about choices. Now, our choices are limited. We have little choice but to accept the time and cost overhead imposed by the ferry system. The culture is self-selecting. Those who can accept the delays remain while those who cannot often leave. We call it the "ferry filter" because it filters out those who cannot deal with the slower life style. What would happen if we had more choices?

I don't believe that our working residents are lazy. As I recall, workers in the trades on the mainland had a similar reputation for poor scheduling. Rather, I see many working families with two wage earners working very hard to afford to live in a place offering a very high quality of life. After all, our quality of life, our values, are our most important asset. This is why choices are so important. If we can provide our working residents with choices of jobs that are more rewarding, not only in salary, but also in steady, year round employment and in interesting new fields, I believe that we can improve the quality of life for this important segment of our population. Perhaps we can even afford to go fishing more often.