My cabin is located in the backwoods of Luther, Michigan. Some may say it is in the middle of nowhere; but to me, it is one of my favorite places in the world. It is where I feel most connected to nature, and in turn most connected to myself. I realize how small my problems are and how wonderful the simple life truly is. I gain my sense of purpose and remember how capable I am of anything I set my mind to. I feel so in tune with life outside of my own. I understand how interconnected the earth and human life is. We can’t go on if nature isn’t a part of it. Nature has given me a purpose. It has shown me how marvelous the little things in life are if you truly stop and take it all in. Whenever I feel uninspired or unmotivated I decide to plan a trip to my cabin as soon as possible. Whether it is overnight with my cousins or close friends or just a getaway for the day with my dad.
The cabin was built from scratch by my family before I was born. It is 1600 square feet with an upstairs and a downstairs room. No running water, no electricity, no cellular service, with only an outhouse or the woods to use the bathroom. The 40 acres of land is deeply wooded and has a creek that runs through the entire property. My grandpa created trails with sticks and a map with several special spots that he named “the Garden of Eden”, “fern meadows” and several bridges along the creek. It is a place that is not only significant to me but my entire family.
Some of my most authentic and genuine memories of my entire life were made there. Every time a person visits the cabin they write a journal entry about their time spent there. We have up to 5 journals full of stories dating back to before I was born. I have fond memories of catching frogs in the river with my cousins, creating our own sledding hills in the winter, intense card games of Wizard with grandpa, hammocking in the Garden of Eden for hours with my cousins singing our favorite songs at the top of our lungs, making hobo pies with my dad over the fire, and engaging in rich conversations about life. However, one of the things I love the most is laying in the field at the front of the property on a clear night and watching the stars. No air pollution, no city lights, just a pure night sky, and so so many stars. There is really no explanation that I can grasp in those moments besides feeling ALIVE. It is insane how small the earth makes you feel but also how special you are at the same time.
