Not long ago I was watching a TV show about the "Sea Gypsies". These are the Moken people who live among the islands along the coast Burma. They are called sea gypsies because they have no established homes, but live on their boats and travel from island to island. They are hunter gathers with few possession, for everything must travel with them on their boats. They represent a fascinating culture who are totally at home in and on the water. One of the things that brought people's interest to them is that during the 2004 tsunami they were all safe because somehow they knew to go to higher ground well in advance of the giant wave.

It is a fascinating culture, but what really struck me and got me thinking, was that there language does not include the words for when, want or worry. They make no plans and have no watches or calendars.

They stay at an island as long as it seems right and move on when it feels right to move on. They have a broad network of family and friends which they see and visit, and there is obvious joy when they see one another, but no plans are made to see one another again when it is time to leave. It doesn't matter whether it has been a few days or a few years between visits, since there is no keeping track of time. They have no need for the word when.

The ocean supplies everything that they need. They live on turtles and fish and occasionally land animals. They are surrounded by a plentiful harvest. They have what they need on their boats, freely sharing with one another. They have no need of the word want.

Since everything they need is readily available, since they have no concern about the future or regret about the past, there is nothing to be concerned about. So, they have no word for worry. Imagine living a life without the concept of worry, without the concept of want, without the concept of when.

Why is it that in our culture, with all its technology, with all the "stuff" that surrounds us, everyone wants something. We have so much, yet never seem to have enough. Imagine taking "want" out of your vocabulary.

Our culture is obsessed with time. We have our calendars and planners. Each hour of the day is scheduled. We make plans months, even years in the future. I find myself often saying that I don't have enough time. But seeing this culture I realize that time is a creation of our culture. All the stuff I have to do, all the places I need to be at a certain time, is a creation of the culture that I live in. What would my life be like if "when" was not in my vocabulary.

And worry, how much we all worry. Jesus tells us not to worry. The lilies of the field are just fine, and they don't worry. Yet we worry. We worry about not having what we need. We worry about what will happen in the future. We worry about the implications of things in the past. We worry because we think in terms of want and when.

I can't help but wonder what life would be like if I grew up without words for when or want or worry.

Watch an online summary of the show for more information about the sea gypsies.

Foggy Waves