I have spent the last few days in Drummond Island, Michigan in an old hunting cabin that my dad has been going to with his friends since he was around 12 or 13. The cabin itself has changed since the original one he stayed in burned down in the 70's but the vibe on the island, from what I gather, is much the same. Similar to many towns in the Upper Peninsula the island revolves around fishing, hunting, log cabins & beer. This is a down-home everyone-knows-everyone type of town. Everyone on the road waves hello. That alone can make you want to grow old somewhere. Not saying I want to spend my life in Drummond Island, but the concept of waving to everyone you come across on the road, I find absolutely beautiful. Drummond is quiet. The type of quiet that consists of conversation, cards being shuffled, waves lulling and stillness of the woods. We didn't even need listen to a single song on the radio the entire 6 hour drive up. The cabin's only 'indoor plumbing' is a faucet that leaks rainwater and the only sound I could hear at night (aside from my dad snoring) were the soft buzzing of mosquitos in my ear (but not for long...clap!). Quiet. Peaceful. True.
There is something about being uncertain if you are walking in poison ivy or not on your way to the outhouse because it's the dead of night. There is something about the sound of propane lanterns burning which resembles the soft drip of coffee brewing in the morning that makes the card game below it's dim light a little more ... something. I don't know what. A little more meaningful, I guess. Being miles away from the main road which is literally labeled "Main Road" and minutes from one of the five of the greatest lakes that exist makes you take a step back and learn what it's like to live in the 'real' world. The 'real world' very different from what commonly is referred to as such.
This weekend I learned how important silence can be and how getting dirty can somehow cleanse you and I learned from our four-wheeling ride around the island that sometimes you have to go straight-through-as-fast-as-you-can to avoid getting stuck, and sometimes, it's good to just turn off the engine and listen. So that's what I learned today. The sounds of nature are good for the soul.
Lizzie