I recently went to my cousin’s lake house in Michigan with my mom and my daughter for a girls’ weekend. We had an amazing time and I came home relaxed and refreshed. We did a lot of fun things; but it was more than what we did that made it so special. Our agenda, while full – my cousin is a person after my own heart – was nothing particularly out of the ordinary. Yet each event carried emotion and meaning for me.
What we did:
- Watched sunsets from the deck
- Early morning kayaking on the lake
- Coffee in cute coffee shop
- Hiked through the woods
- Shopped in town
- Ate lunch in local brewery
- Walked through the farmers’ market
- Sampled ciders at local Cidery
- Hiked to the water’s edge of Baldy dunes
What each of these really meant to me:
- Watched sunsets from the deck – why are sunsets so much more amazing over the water?! This was a time of awe and appreciation for how truly beautiful the world is.
- Early morning kayaking on the lake – therapy time. In the early morning quiet my cousin and I shared stories and secrets that flowed easily on the still-as-glass lake.
- Coffee in cute coffee shop – a time to be whimsical. This stop was a request by my daughter, who needed cute pics for Instagram and her SnapChat story.
- Hiked through the woods – back to nature. It was so quiet in the dense woods of northern Michigan.
- Shopped in town – a lesson in fiscal responsibility when my daughter saw the prices in the upscale touristy stores!
- Ate lunch in local brewery – a time for bonding. Over lunch we shared generational stories and memories, and my daughter took it all in. Stories of people from my childhood whom she’s never met; stories of distant relatives whose names she’s only heard but that have shaped our family.
- Walked through the farmers’ market – a chance to expand our world and meet local people. I love farmer’s markets! Not only because you can get delicious, locally sourced food, but also because you expand your circle when you talk to the people you buy from.
- Sampled ciders at local Cidery – a time to have fun but also set a good example for my daughter, who is always watching. She needs to see me doing adult things in a responsible manner.
- Hiked to the water’s edge of Baldy dunes – another awe inspiring moment. This one reminded me of how small we truly are. Seeing the endless green and blue water of Lake Michigan, I I felt pretty insignificant. Yet i also felt inspired, to make my footprints count.
Phew – it was a full weekend! Quality time with other women, whether family or friends, is so important for each of us. I always learn something new when I’m just hanging out with other women. I come home with new ideas, projects or recipes to try. Being around other women increases my confidence when I get support or agreement for something I’m thinking or feeling in my gut. I hope my cousin knows how much this weekend truly meant to me! I’d like to remind everyone here to take time to hang out with other women! It’s so important – don’t let too much time go by in between those visits. You’re worth it and you need it.
Comments