Clever title, yes? Maybe. See what you think by the end of this post.
We’re spending time ‘up north’–specifically at a cabin on Lake Hubert, near Nisswa. The cabin owners, Jen Thorson and Scott Tonneson, have graciously offered the use of their cabin during hockey season, when there is little chance for them to be here. It did not take us long, once the offer was extended, to respond!
What’s so special about being here? After all, we hardly go out while home in St. Paul, and we can hardly go out here. There’s snow and cold (and some mild days) at home, and the same is true here. Still, many things are different, special:
Silence
~~the silence of being the only people for as far as we can see
~~the frozen lake that has produced only one snowmobile, 2 passengers
~~the evergreen trees where silent birds fly in and out
~~the silent dripping of water where the sun is strong enough to melt the snow on the roof
Cabin
~~there’s just an atmosphere about a cabin that strongly encourages one to relax
~~take it easy, put up your feet, pour a glass of wine, read a book, take a nap
~~a cabin with a fireplace is a bonus
~~the crackle and pop of the wood, the beauty of the surrounding stones
~~having a stash of wood all cut and ready to go–can’t be beat!
Surroundings
~~my daughter-in-law, JenThorson, could make an outhouse look fashionable and welcoming!
~~cozy reading corners, walls of fun coordinated pictures, pillows craftily thrown on comfy
chairs, an old sled and skates propped up in a corner, and of course
~~and outside–trees in the front yard with colorful lights 24/7, 0
~~a skating rink cleared by the hockey coach and his 2 hockey playing sons,(I’ve skated every day.) ~~snowmobile paths for 2 old folks to try their hand at cross-country skiing again after 20+ years, and a wide expanse of space that welcomes one to just “be”
So, why did I title this post “Be“? That’s my ‘word’ for 2021. Do you ever have a ‘word’ for the year? I know some of you do, because I’ve heard some of you refer to your ‘word’. As I’ve learned from my friend Nancy, the word chooses you…you don’t choose the word. So this year, “be” chose me. These past few days I’ve done a lot of be-ing! (Get it? “Done” a lot of “be”-ing!) What is it about a “place” that invites one to “be”…just “be”? I know I don’t ‘be’ as much when I’m home–there I’m more into doing. Perhaps this year my ‘word’ will help me to do more be-ing, as long as I remain open to the Spirit that teaches me how to just ‘be’…because that’s where I meet my soul. That’s where my deepest and best parts of me come forward to meet the world.
I can’t stay in this idyllic place forever. That’s not how life works, even if we live full time in a cabin in the woods, our idyllic moments are just that–moments. But it’s total happiness, joy, and a blessing that we have this time and place to enjoy these moments, and take some of that joy back home with us…to just “be”!
Soul Stories 