Dead End

To most people a sign like this doesn't mean a whole lot, except that they had better turn around.  Not to me though.  This has been the sign for the past eight years that has told me peace and quiet are within a tenth of a mile away!  This signs sits at the turn into our lane at the cabin and has been the constant sign to announce to our family that it's time to leave the stresses of the city behind and enjoy our time together. 

Everyone seems to have their assigned "jobs" when we get to the cabin.  We have this routine down I tell ya!  As quickly as possible we all unload the suburban.  The men head off to do their "jobs" quickly like carrying heavy loads to the basement, turning up the water heater and fridge, gathering firewood, and changing the water filter.  The girls go to work unpacking the food and getting the coolers packed, etc.  Then everyone runs off to their corners for only a quick minute just to re-appear in their cabin outfits.  This consists of the oldest pair of comfy jeans we own, sweatshirts/t-shirts, and flip flops or Merrell sandals.  Within an hour we're all off to do something together, whether it's out fishing, boating or maybe just staying home for a fire on the deck in the chimnea.  This is what I refer to my friends as the "Awwww" moment.  It's the moment that I almost forget everything prior to getting to the cabin.  I feel nothing but peace when I look out at the lake or watch an eagle or an ospry flying over the bay.

I first felt this "Awwww" moment when I was a sophmore in high school living on Admiralty Island in Alaska.  The large island in the southeast chain was home to only one village of about 450 people.  They had a long oil dock that went out from the center of town into the ocean.  This is where at high tide barges used to bring fresh fruits, building materials, etc. to the village in historical times.  When I lived there it was only used for the teenagers to do their "cruising" (by foot only since nobody had cars in the village and there was only one road really that was dirt).   I used to spend hours at the end of that oil dock by myself sitting and reflecting as I looked out over Chatham Straits watching whales breach when it was their migrating time or watching the many bald eagles around the island.  Truth be told, I was probably just sitting out there pouting because I knew my mother could see me from our kitchen window.  At the time, I didn't realize how special of a place this really was or what opportunity I was being given as a 15 year old girl.  I hated every second of it then.  None of the kids talked with me because I was an "outsider", there was no television, no radio, no stores, and I had left all of my friends in Illinois for this one year.  

I've been back to that same oil dock a few times in my adult life after college.  It usually comes at a time in my life that I really need a "get away" to clear my head and get a new perspective on life.  I even keep several original prints from a local artist on Admiralty Island in my home to remind me of my time there. 

What I realize now is that the cabin and lake are my surrogate for "my oil dock".  It's the place that I can erase all the negativity of my week, the stresses of running a company and having deadlines, etc.  The big bonus here is that on this "island", I've also had the opportunity to make some wonderful lifetime friends and renew some of my old friendships.  It's given me the opportunity to spend amazing quality time with my husband/kids, and bring our families and friends from down south to share in our world here.   And....the best part of this "island"....I can drive to it! There are stores I can get to, television, radio, etc.!  Yes...paradise at last! 

Now...go find your "dock" and have an "Awww" moment!