I have a friend who lives on an island, and I have to say, it looks like a nice place to unwind. Like most people, I’m very much a citizen of the digital republic, but I don’t know – from where I sit, his ability to unplug out there seems downright dignified.

My friend’s day is dictated by the ferry schedule. He’s on a boat at 6:50 AM, which means he’s in bed early and up before the sunrise. There’s a certain finality in missing a ferry home across a vast expanse of water; I have a feeling it might make me more mindful of the passage of time.

Granted, living on an island must be challenging at times. Forgetting a critical document for work can ruin your day. Ditto for leaving your house keys at the office. And from time to time, my friend wants to do something in town that extends beyond the departure of the last ferry, which means leaning of friends for a place to stay.

But that’s the price you pay for a little peace and quiet. Imagine all the works of art that have been created on islands over the years! Imagine all the books that have been written! It’s like inspiration comes standard out there.

Talk about concentration. There aren’t that many places in the world where you can go for a walk and keep the water on one side the whole way. And the ever present lapping of waves must do something good for your stream of thought.

Those islands out there look a little like heaven to me.