The Lightness of Being with Lilacs and Leisure--by Cindy Morawski
I've been reading a book by Gretchen Rubin called THE HAPPINESS PROJECT. Or, Why I spent a year trying to sing in the morning, clean out my closets, fight right, read Artistotle, and generally have more fun. I was searching for balance in my life. I needed a guide to give me permission to "generally have more fun." (If that makes any sense.) Getting introspective does no good at all if you're not willing to put helpful advice into practice. Therefore, I decided that it was high time that Paul and I put two of Gretchen's principles into play-- Be serious about Play and Make time for friends (and family). One item on both of our Bucket Lists was to travel more and to check out Mackinac Island in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. We also wanted to spend some time with family, my aunt and uncle, plus my cousin and his wife. Bingo! Both could be accomplished since they all lived in Wisconsin, near Michigan, and they all were interested in going on vacation to Mackinac Island for the Lilac Festival too. It seemed too good to be true!
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Samuel Johnson once noted this about happiness, "As the Spanish proverb says, 'He, who would bring home the wealth of the Indies, must carry the wealth of the Indies with him.'" Just remembering the exhilarating fragrance of lilacs from my childhood days in Pennsylvania, I instinctively recognized the value of celebrating anything to do with the Lilac. I figured that I could bring home not only happiness, but enough good times to wash over into my life for many months in the future. That alone could make me a card-carrying person with improvements. My favorite color also just happens to be purple, and guess what color this particular flower happens to be? Sha-zizzle! I was ready for a road trip, a reunion, and an adventure.
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Paul and I ended up in Milwaukee. He took the train because his lung collapsed on May 16th due to a biking accident at a nearby park. His doctor told him not to fly. Of course, I had booked our flights to Wisconsin months in advance with Orbitz. However, they wouldn't refund our money so I couldn't afford spending more money on train travel. In the end, we both used different modes of transportation. Although, the important thing was that we arrived around the same time in Wisconsin for our road trip and visit with the relatives. And, we did just that. My Uncle Arthur and Aunt Nancy picked us up in Milwaukee, and we then headed to Fort Atkinson where they live part of the year. The next day we started on our road trip to Marinette, home of my Cousin David and his wife Karen, which is north of Green Bay on Lake Michigan. Enjoying the luxury of not having to drive while experiencing a cooler climate and a beautiful landscape of fir trees and water along the way, we felt like we'd died and gone to heaven!
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I had learned a long time ago while riding horses as a kid, the importance of jumping back on after you've taken a toss from your mount. However, it's one thing to do it as a child who is more Gumby than human, and then quite another as a more fragile adult in late mid-life, who's recovering from a collapsed lung and five broken ribs. I wasn't sure after Paul spent almost an entire week in the hospital in May after his bicycle accident that he'd be jumping back on a bike anytime soon. In fact, during his first follow-up doctor's appointment, his doctor asked Paul if he had any questions. Paul replied, "Sure do. When can I return to normal activities? In other words, when can I go back to bike riding?" Without missing a beat, the physician returned, "You can go ahead with bicycling right away. But if you fall, you'll re-break your ribs and possibly hurt your lung again. You haven't finished healing; it's going to take six months for those ribs to completely heal." So, I was surprised when Paul agreed to rent bikes on the first day at the island. Dave, Karen, Paul, and I selected our cruisers and then glided down the street for a complete tour around Mackinac. Our first adventure!
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On the second day of touring the island, my Uncle Arthur and Aunt Nancy joined us for some sightseeing at Fort Mackinac. This fort served as a military outpost for British, and later, American soldiers from 1780 to 1895. What delighted me most of all was the escape into the past with the living history all around us. Folks acted the parts of soldiers, wives, blacksmiths, and merchants in order to bring the past to life. The two soldiers in the photo asked us to plug our ears while they shot off the cannon. Later, four soldiers marched past and re-enacted a rifle demonstration in the green common area inside the fort's walls. On Market Street, we watched Robert Benjamin, the blacksmith, work on a design in metal and a daughter of the long-ago Biddle family cook stew over the fire in the fireplace. I took a plunge into the past while learning about the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in early Michigan. For me, happiness is not just reading about history; it's also seeing it come to life!
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| Island Ferry, a fun way to get to the island |
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| Haldimand Bay off Mackinac |
Paul and I ended up in Milwaukee. He took the train because his lung collapsed on May 16th due to a biking accident at a nearby park. His doctor told him not to fly. Of course, I had booked our flights to Wisconsin months in advance with Orbitz. However, they wouldn't refund our money so I couldn't afford spending more money on train travel. In the end, we both used different modes of transportation. Although, the important thing was that we arrived around the same time in Wisconsin for our road trip and visit with the relatives. And, we did just that. My Uncle Arthur and Aunt Nancy picked us up in Milwaukee, and we then headed to Fort Atkinson where they live part of the year. The next day we started on our road trip to Marinette, home of my Cousin David and his wife Karen, which is north of Green Bay on Lake Michigan. Enjoying the luxury of not having to drive while experiencing a cooler climate and a beautiful landscape of fir trees and water along the way, we felt like we'd died and gone to heaven!
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| Paul and Cousin Dave getting ready for a bike ride |
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| Fort Mackinac, firing off the cannon |
On the second day of touring the island, my Uncle Arthur and Aunt Nancy joined us for some sightseeing at Fort Mackinac. This fort served as a military outpost for British, and later, American soldiers from 1780 to 1895. What delighted me most of all was the escape into the past with the living history all around us. Folks acted the parts of soldiers, wives, blacksmiths, and merchants in order to bring the past to life. The two soldiers in the photo asked us to plug our ears while they shot off the cannon. Later, four soldiers marched past and re-enacted a rifle demonstration in the green common area inside the fort's walls. On Market Street, we watched Robert Benjamin, the blacksmith, work on a design in metal and a daughter of the long-ago Biddle family cook stew over the fire in the fireplace. I took a plunge into the past while learning about the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in early Michigan. For me, happiness is not just reading about history; it's also seeing it come to life!
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| Victorian costume of an historic interpreter |
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| Biddle House's Kitchen |
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| My Family Touring the Fort |
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| Uncle Arthur and Aunt Nancy |
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| Horse-Power, No Cars Allowed |
Another aspect of my happiness project was to experience a slower pace of life, in other words, I needed to relax. While researching about Mackinac Island, I discovered that the island banned motorized vehicles in 1898-- transportation is on foot, by bicycle, or by horse-drawn carriage or wagon. Horses rule! Imagine settling into your bed at night with no horns honking, engines racing, or tires screeching. It's quiet, unless you count the clip-clop of horses' hooves on the narrow village streets. I grew up with ponies and horses. My all-time favorite animal is the horse. I knew I wanted to be on an island surrounded by horses. The health as well as happiness benefits of an exhaust-free atmosphere without car noise can be quite attractive. Getting around for me meant getting happy.
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| Purple Power! |
Early on in Gretchen's book she lists her Twelve Commandments. Number Four on her list is "Do it now." Well, I took her to heart. I not only made time for my family, but I also took time for a vacation. It was all good. I came back from that trip with a lightness in my step and a smile on my lips. My perspective shifted. Change had happened. I felt happy!
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~~Hope you have a happy summer! Please write and tell me of your adventures.~~
----Cindy
Cindy Morawski
www.cindymorawski.com
cski02@sbcglobal.net
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