In a moment, past meets present...

Though I've not written about it here, some of you I've talked with about it know my history with the area around Shangri La.  My grandparents, who raised me and my two older brothers, owned a cottage just a short drive from Shangri La, on Black Lake.  Every summer until my senior year in high school was spent "up north".  I'd have to say that a good 90% of my best childhood memories are from that time.

If you're wondering why I'm writing about this now, it's because of something that happened today.  Shelly and I went into town, to Onaway.  After dropping Shelly off at her hair stylist's shop, and filling a few gas cans at the Marathon station, I stopped off at Glen's, the local grocery store, to pick up a few things.  When I walked out of Glen's and looked around something odd happened.  

I had a very jarring moment as I looked around that was kind of like deja vu, and yet it wasn't.  It was as if a bunch of my best memories from times spent "up north" came rushing back all at once.  It lasted just seconds, but it was so amazingly vivid.  My breath left me in a rush, and my legs nearly went out from under me.   All of the family trips to Dairy Queen.  All of the Fourth of July parades.  All of the bike rides to the 211 Outpost to buy candy, and rides to and through the trails in Onaway State Park.  All of the time at the lake spent swimming...water skiing...fishing...snorkeling...sand castle building...all of it.  It all came rushing back.  

I don't know for certain what brought it on, other than that I have to wonder about the timing.  Shelly and I just yesterday signed up to join our local Fraternal Order of Eagles, following through on our commitment to become more involved in our community.  Though we have done all kinds of clean up and renovation projects to make a home of our house and our property, this is the first step we've taken to make the community around us our home.  

We have now been up here just over a year.  I believe that what I felt today was an emotional realization that THIS is now our home.  In hindsight, and after some reflection, that moment today felt very much like all of my history colliding with and joining with my present.  That, my friends, is a very cool thing.  

Until next time!