Navajo Time; Time Is Circular

Mary and Diane

            My first week on the reservation I learned a very important lesson that has stayed  with me throughout my experience; the lesson of “Navajo Time”.  On the surface, “Navajo Time” means that no one is on time for anything.  It does not matter if it is a professional or social  gathering the time of the meeting is all relative to what else is going on.  It is not that people do not show up to things but being on time is not the same kind of importance that I have been used to on the east coast.

From living on “Navajo Time” for the past 6 months (an adjustment I took to quite easily) I have come to learn a much deeper importance of this way of time.  Time, for the Navajo people, is circular.  It is not about getting from point A to point B in the fastest possible manner, it is about the process and the way you get from point A to point B.  This community truly lives a life style of living and finding beauty in the moment.  A lesson of patience that has made my experience that much more meaningful.

Mid November I was given the opportunity to go with a group of students from our school to the State Golf Special Olympics competition in Phoenix, AZ.  Now, a long trip with any group of people can be a little stressful but factor in a group of students with mental and physical disabilities and a culture that I am still adjusting to understand and I was a little worried about how smooth this trip would go.  We of course started our trip leaving late knowing we would not make it in time for the first meeting of teams.  None of the other chaperons seemed to be phased and I did my best to act the same but in the back of my mind the wheels of concern and planning ahead started turning.

Once we finally got a vehicle to use from the transportation department, all the bags packed, the medication box from the nurses office, on the road and together I quickly lost track of what I had in mind for plans and productivity.  I was lost in songs we were singing as a car, funny stories we were sharing about our family and friends, and the funny quick breaks we took road side to stretch.  Before I knew it we were there and yes we were late to the meeting but it worked.  We made it for what we needed to make it there for and even better we made connections with each other that made the trip the wonderful memory that we still are able to live together. 

Mary, Allisyn, and Bridget

I did not want to be apart of Mercy Volunteer Corps to get to the end result of being home and saying I did it; I wanted to truly live the experience that I was blessed to be apart of in a day to day, hour to hour, and minute to minute way.  The time here has been about the journey, about growing in community, creating lasting relationships, and working to give the best of me and the talents I have been blessed with to better the social norm.  Living through “Navajo Time” has challenged me to embrace the rough times with the same love and attention that I would the good times, and appreciate those who are with me throughout it all.

Mary O'Neil - St. Michaels Association for Special Education - St. Michaels, AZ