I’ve always believed time is a necessary concept, but a strange one at best. Time is determinate depending on whether we are stressed or relaxed. If we are on deadline: stress; but on the first day of vacation we often say we have plenty of time. The first time I realized that time was all relative was in high school. I was on tour with the Long Island Youth Orchestra and giving a concert in Western Samoa. We were staying with local families in their homes, and before we left the group, the conductor urgently stressed that we be on time for rehearsal the next day, “be on New York time.” I didn’t know what that meant until the next day when our host “dad” got us ready and drove us around the beautiful island on the way to rehearsal. Being semi-conscientious kids, not wanting to be scolded upon arriving late, we urged our host to cut the gorgeous detour short and go to rehearsal. He said, “Don’t worry, relax; you’re on island time now!” I’ve also been awed at our own bodies when it comes to the concept of time and how we know when it’s time to do certain things in the morning, like get up, for example, without an alarm clock. This morning, however, it was the reverse; my body knew it was definitely NOT time to get up. Now, I’m sure all of you have stories similar to mine this morning. I had to get up for a 7 a.m. flight and set my alarm for 4:45 a.m. When my alarm went off I got up, begrudgingly, brushed my teeth and did the whole morning routine feeling even more tired than I knew I should have. I went about my business and looked at a clock in a different room. It said 3:00 a.m. I looked again; yep, still 3 a.m. Somehow when I set my alarm I must have changed the clock settings as well. My body knew it was not yet time to get up, even at that hour. Happily, I went back to bed, but had to laugh at myself for making a silly mistake, but I was even more happy that I didn’t show up at the airport two hours early! — Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher