Can You Hear Me Now

‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free
‘Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight

Joseph Brackett

I am a Cancer and us Cancers find great comfort in the familiar. I generally eat the same breakfast (steel cut oats, fruit, and homemade kefir), enjoy walking in places I’ve walked for decades, listen to the music I grew up with, and haven’t changed my haircut for as long as I can remember.

I am not against trying something new, but unlike some people I know, I don’t grow frustrated with routine activities. I change when something isn’t working out for me and not because I require new and different. There is a quiet beauty in living a simple life. It keeps me grateful and grounded.

All of this leads me to what I want to write about today.

Last Saturday, Linda and I returned from our annual Fourth of July vacation on the north shore of Lake Superior. It’s something we began 30 years ago. For the previous ten years we came up in September, but one year that didn’t work out so we switched to July.

We stay at a place called Cobblestone Cabins. Cobblestone Cabins is a family owned resort that consists of six basic cabins perched on a ridge above beautiful Lake Superior. Each cabin has something different to offer, but we always stay in number six. We are drawn to the privacy, incredible view of the lake, and large-ish living space. Even though we are only there once a year, it feels like home.

Fun fact. Cobblestone Cabins was established in 1926 and is the last small, family run resort in the Tofte area. The rest have sold off for high-end mansions or converted into corporate mega-resorts. Their motto is “For Characters and Common folk.” I cannot begin to tell you how true that is.

Every trip has been special, but as I move towards my twilight years, this vacation has become even more precious to me. For one, it’s a very active getaway. Every day I bike a minimum of 20 miles and there are many days when it’s much closer to 40. On top of that, Linda and I go on long and sometimes strenuous hikes. While I do take time to simply sit and relax (often with my Irish banjo in hand), there is a lot of movement.

I do not take this ability to move my body for granted. While I am still pretty agile, I feel the changes of each passing year. I know far too many people close to my age who are no longer able to do things that once came so easily. I am thankful that that day has yet to arrive for me. Believe me, I know it’s coming.

Next there are the treasured friendships. You cannot go to the same family resort for 40 years and not develop close ties to the family who own and run it. The same goes for the repeat guests we see year after year. That’s another reason why Cabin Six feels like home. Not only is it a beautiful place to stay, we feel embraced by people who have become an important part of our extended family. There is much love up north.

We share the joys of being together along with the struggles that are a part of every life. Over the years, I witnessed two divorces, relationship strife, death, job problems, and serious health issues. As a good friend of mine who was recently diagnosed with colon cancer put it, “None of us gets out of here unscathed.” It’s important to share the hard parts of our lives and allow others to help carry the load.

Old faces, young faces
close by and faraway faces
the living and breathing
the cherished and sadly departed

With love in all shapes and conditions
with laughter, aspiration, hope, reflection, and hunger
one family forged from the tribes of many
tiny stars of the greater sky
thankful for the rich and bountiful harvest of being
lasting connections and grateful sweet fortune

Old faces, young faces
called together for kinship and sharing
everyone welcomed
everyone blessed

This is also a place where Linda and I can reconnect as a couple. We have activities that we do on our own, but the vast majority of our time is spent with one another. Like most couples who have been together for as long as we have (our 44th wedding anniversary is less than a month away), there have been plenty of gut-wrenching moments — those times when you question whether or not you will make it. Spoiler alert, we have. This week, unlike all other weeks, we have an opportunity to rediscover why we choose to stay married.

Scenes From the Big Lake

Here are a few of the many photographs (and one video) I took over the nine days of my simple life on the North Shore. They span from The Cross River to the Kadunce River.

If you are so inclined, you can see last year’s photos here. As you will see, I do love my familiar hikes and bike rides.

And yes, as simple as this may feel to me, I understand how privileged I am to make this trip. I do not take that for granted, either.

Thank you for reading.

P.S. After 27 years of enduring the grueling Tofte Trek (this was my consecutive 28th race), I finally managed to take home a First Place Award. I cut seven minutes off last year’s time and really felt it in my legs the next two days, but it was worth it. Go me!

P.P.S. Like my upcoming wedding anniversary, this was the 44th Tofte Trek. Coincidence? I think not.

Eyes closed
picturing a lone candle lit
a whispered sigh in a hushed room
the warmth of two needing souls
drawn together like the opposite ends of a lock

Click
snap

The weight of embarrassment and regret lifted
the promise of tomorrow and the certainty of today

These are the dreams and these are the visions
the rose petals of rumination
scattered across the floor