A Mirror for Palau’s Future

Dear Editor,

In recent days, I’ve been listening to many familiar complaints echo across our community, “Palau is not like other places,” “People here don’t follow time,” or “These problems weren’t started by us; it’s their fault.”

While these frustrations are real, I find myself reflecting on a deeper truth behind these sentiments. It reminds me of a quote often attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt: “Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.” There is wisdom in this quote, not as a judgment, but as a challenge. In moments when we are tempted to blame others or point fingers, what if we asked instead: What are the ideas we’re not discussing? What kind of future are we building? In this spirit, I’d like to share a short reflection, known simply as “The Paradox of Our Time.” Though the author remains unknown, the truths it speaks are hauntingly familiar not just globally, but here in our island home.

“We have taller buildings but shorter tempers;
Wider roads but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more but have less;
We buy more but enjoy it less.
We have more knowledge, but less judgment.
More medicine, but less wellness.”

We could easily adapt these lines to our own Palauan context:
“We have more boards and agencies, but less public trust.
We’ve multiplied infrastructure, but eroded accountability.
We have more degrees, but less wisdom in our decision-making.
We have more access to information but seem to communicate less meaningfully.

These are times of fast food and slow health recoveries.

We see youth turn away from their elders, and families torn apart by distance, misunderstanding, or silence.

We host summits, conferences, and consultations, but struggle to follow through with action.

We admire other countries but forget the roots beneath our own feet.”

Palau, like many other small nations, stands at a crossroads. We can choose to blame. Or we can choose to build.

This is not to say we should be blind to injustice or avoid accountability. But we must stop the habit of thinking that change only comes from “them.” We are the “us” we’ve been waiting for. Our culture teaches us omengull, to reflect deeply and to speak truth from the heart. If we truly believe in the power of our dreams and our sovereignty, then the time has come to practice those values daily.

Let us not be people who inherit the islands and forget their wisdom. Let us be the generation that doesn’t just complain about the past or wait for a better tomorrow, but the generation that designs it.

We need to be honest: We talk too much, love too little, and act too late. We’ve learned how to build a life, but not how to live one. We plan well but forget to care well.

As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

So, take time with your family. Sit with the elders. Laugh with the children. Reflect with your heart, not just your mind.

And remember: the solution isn’t always “out there” it’s right here, in how we treat time, one another, and the land beneath us.

Your Humble Servant

Al Kahalic