The shoreline.
The beaches.
The sun.
The waves.
The beauty.
I grew up in Michigan, but it wasn’t until I was 15 years old that I was able to appreciate Michigan’s beauty.
At 15, I went to Camp Kennedy in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. For one month I was surrounded by Michigan’s beauty, hiked the cliffs at Pictured Rocks, lived without the luxury of suburban living like electricity, running water, and a flushing toilet. I loved every minute of it. I fell in love with Michigan’s natural beauty. I fell in love with nature, camping, and simple living. It was at Camp Kennedy were the true essence of who I am was born.
So now, so many years later, I sit on the shore of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This time I am not a camper. I am a mom.
Somethings haven’t changed. I left my suburban lifestyle and I’m surrounded by nature. I’m blogging on the shores of Lake Michigan – the same lake that’s just two miles from my suburban home. But everything is different. My suburban routine isn’t here and the TV isn’t here. I’ve been wearing the same shirt and skirt for the last 3 days…and no one cares. I don’t even think I’ve brushed my hair (but that may be because my brush is lost in one of the 10+ bags we brought with us). Nothing in my normal routine seems to matter, just like it didn’t matter at when I was at Camp Kennedy.
Other than my mommy responsibilities, all I need to do is take in the beauty and be one with the nature. All I need to do is sit in silence and soak it all in.