I have spoken before about the wonderful Michigan tradition of heading "up north" in reference both to
my family and to the general restorative
feeling that walking in the woods has on a person. This past weekend some friends and I stayed at one of my friend's cottage on White Lake (a large lake near the western shore of Lake Michigan). This was the second time that I have stayed at a cottage that was not connected to my family in some way. However, with the experiences I have had all over "up north" it seems that the need to get back to nature can be accommodated in many diverse instances.
Up north is roughly defined in Michigan geography as the vast northern swath of the state above the cities of Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Flint (generally speaking). This region is the true heart of "Pure Michigan", the states ubiquitous tourism motto. Sure the cities of the southern half of the peninsula have some charms (I dare to include Detroit), but it is in the mild wilderness of the north that the true Michigan experience can be found.
Of course, the point of this post is that "up north" is not confined by geography, but merely accommodated by it. Going up north is so much more the journey to a state of mind. Up north is universally a place where gadgets are abandoned (no doubt helped in part by the lack of reliable cell phone service) and time slows down to a more human pace. Each family that makes journeys to their own special part of up north has certain traditions and activities that make the experience one of happy familial bonding. In my own family, we often simply spend time sitting on the boat in the middle of the lake, while at night the predetermined entertainment is often a good tournament of euchre (jokingly referred to as my family's primary religious affiliation). Interspersed are campfires, grandpa's stories, rides in the golf cart, and just being childlike in the woods.
There is something to be said of times like these; they help restore the soul. They help us live more deeply. When we strip away the day-to-day and throw out the ipods, ipads, and computers, and spend a few days in the company of friends, enveloped by nature, we emerge refreshed - and quite happier. Indeed, as I stated before, the location is not the key. The cottage we stayed at last weekend was small, humble, and uncluttered, yet it was the site of some of the best times I've had all summer. Heck, just sitting on the sun porch reading before dinner was ready was a nice moment.
So I guess this is part philosophy, part travel literature, but my point is that our lives are moving more quickly and we are losing
real contact with both man and nature. Taking a trip up north, whether physically or just simplifying life for awhile, can have profound benefits and provide many happy memories for years to come.
