Breathing Space

The Rainbow Connection

There is no rainbow today but plenty of rain. I think the April showers are trying to really do their job with the May flowers thing. I have been thinking about connections since I am just about to attend a gathering with old friends from both high school and college and several of my friends from Michigan that are now dear friends too.

The night after we moved into our cottage we were eating at Western Grill and Tim went into the bar area to watch some BB, no surprise. He came back with his college friends Nancy and Tom, who we learned had a cottage down the street. Such a good omen, don’t you agree?  A couple of years later we had plans to go to dinner with Nancy and Tom and they asked to bring their good friends Beth and Paul. Of course I didn’t realize then that Beth was the Beth I used to work with many years ago at a Detroit ad agency. What a great night.

Remember that movie, “ Six Degrees of Separation”? Everyone on the planet is just six people away from knowing someone else you know. Since Glen Arbor seems to draw like-minded individuals this happens a lot, but it always seems that you have something in common with this new acquaintance. Is it serendipity (I love this word) or coincidence? Connections have become easier with technology but we also probably have less time to spend with our friends since we all have such busy lives.

Connections are so important. I just read about this new study that shows how we all greatly impact each other’s happiness. A study from The British Medical Journal has shown that happiness spreads from person to person up to three connections away. So if your friend’s friend is happy that can affect you too. I hope you enjoy this rainbow photo that I took in Hawaii. I think we will soon be seeing one in Michigan. Make a connection and spread some happiness today.

The Good Earth

Today is Earth Day. If we all make small changes in our daily lives it will make a big difference in protecting the Earth. Many moons ago, northern Michigan’s sole guardians were Native Americans. They have always had a reverence and respect for mother Earth which we all need to adopt . Cultivate a connection to the Earth today by making green choices. I discovered this ancient Native American proverb, which I believe says so much:

 

"Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children." 

Comments

Tim,
I totally agree on the Big Water feeling. A few years ago I thought I just needed Big Sky, but since we started visiting Glen Arbor ('03) I now know that Big Blue Water is what heals my soul. I love to walk the beach on a windy day from S.Lake Street to Glen Haven. As I make this journey I take in the Big Sky and Big Water and the wind blows all the cobwebs out of my head. I always need to make the return trip so that the other side gets cleaned out as well. We now have a Happy Place in Glen Arbor that we call OurNorth. It is our Zen, our perfect place.

Posted by: Mimi Ransick | April 19, 2009 at 08:53 AM

Big Water

I think that we are all drawn to water. Maybe it is because water is so elemental to life it is imprinted on our genes, our DNA, our basic instincts. At least I know that I am drawn to it and in my case, the larger the body of water, the better. I refer to this as my need for “Big Water”. I know that I have to be on or near it as much as possible. I have thought about it a lot and I believe that it is more than its simple beauty alone. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy sitting or laying on a warm and sunny beach as much (or more) than anyone but I am as drawn to my favorite beach on Sleeping Bear Bay on a windy, cold day in February as I am on an 80 degree day in August. To me, there is something about being near all the immense power and balance that a large body of water possesses. It helps me as I try to focus on future possibilities rather than just dwelling on present (or even past) problems. This may be a bit heady, but I think that it also can remind us to respect (not fear) the powerful and unknown while at the same time embracing it.

This is why Glen Arbor is so special and important to me. It is on the “Big Water”. My favorite places are either directly on the water (like Sleeping bear Bay) or possessing a spectacular view of it (like the lookouts from the Pyramid Point and Alligator Hill trails). I have lived in Colorado, and while I really appreciated the unbelievable beauty of the Rocky Mountains, there was no water – at least no “Big Water”. I was in my early 20s at the time and I took advantage of it by embracing both skiing and rock climbing, but in six months, I missed the Big Water. I believe that if you think about it there is a very elemental reason why beachfront property will always be a good investment regardless of the economy.

We just returned from a trip to Kapalua on Maui. It is also one of my favorite places in the world. Kapalua certainly has many reasons to love it but for me it is the fact that the view from the beach is so similar to Sleeping Bear Bay. You look out across an unbelievably blue bay to two large islands: Moloka’i to the north, Lana’i to the south (the closest – Moloka’i is just eight miles out). The islands are very tall – being volcanic mountains, but it is easy to feel like you are at home in Glen Arbor. Of course, the lava-formed beach cliffs and the power of the surf are a strong reminder that while familiar, you are in a very different, far away place. Still, it is all connected by the beauty and the power of the Big Water.

 By Tim

Use Your (Right) Brain

Creativity, innovativeness and risk-taking will all be traits that are in high demand to help us out of this economic down-turn into a new era of real and sustained growth. We all need to tap into our rich imaginations to create new ideas and solutions. Encouraging our youth in creative endeavors is essential to our success.

The Glen Arbor Art Association (GAAA) is a great place for children and adults to discover their “inner artist”. The summer schedule available at http://www.glenarborart.org/ covers a broad spectrum of art classes, workshops and musical performances. Last year when I dropped Emma off for a pottery class at Thoreson Farm I was awed by how idyllic and inspiring the setting was. She loved the class and created some amazing art.

Take a class this summer and make something with your own two hands and your heart. You may discover a new passion. Learning something new is good for your brain. There are many great classes for children and adults and also some classes for parents and children to enjoy together. If you can’t take a class, please support the arts in any way you can. Join the GAAA, go to the memorable Dune Climb Concert or any of the other excellent Manitou Music Festival performances. The world needs art, maybe now more than ever and using both sides of your brain can be very productive and rewarding.

 

Riding the Waves

We are on a Spring Break family trip to Hawaii.  I love listening to the sound of the surf. The crashing of the waves is simultaneously soothing and stimulating.  The waves rise and fall, as does everything in life. The trick is to ride the waves by completely enjoying the crest of the good times and being grateful for them when life’s waves crash to the shore. Often the contrasts in life are what truly allow us to live life to the fullest.

I grew up going to the Jersey shore as a child and I loved to body surf. Sometimes I crashed into the shore and ended up with a mouthful of sand but once in a while I glided in on the perfect wave. I have a clear memory of both extremes but I am still searching for that perfect wave, even if it doesn’t last forever I know that it will come along again.

Living in Michigan, I often missed the ocean. Lake Michigan has become the “big water” I enjoy now. I have seen very big waves, I can walk for miles along the shore and I can almost smell the ocean air.