Lake Superior in tiny envelopes!
My friend Liz must have known I've been missing that big ol' lake. She's about ready to leave it too, so she's probably feeling sentimental. And overwhelmed. It's easy to worry about time when you're leaving, to feel pressured to create the perfect Marquette day.
And when you do leave, you spend your time thinking about it, regretting those two years you spent living across the street from Lake Superior yet only walked over once a week. Why weren't you there every day? Why didn't you grade at a picnic table at the marina, watching sail boats come in for the night? Why didn't you read each day on those massive rocks, your feet danging into the icy water? Why didn't you dig your toes into the sand more often, spend more time looking for beach glass, take more hikes, canoe more rivers, eat more whitefish, drink more Widowmaker?
But we don't have to feel that way. We can stop comparing where we are to where we were and, instead, figure out what we'll miss when we leave this new place. I've spent almost this entire year hating here and missing there, and that's probably not the best use of my time.
Anyway, Liz, if you see this, I'm hoping you won't be like me. Yes, think about Marquette, and Lake Superior, and whitefish, and Lawry's pasties (or Jean Kay's if you prefer), and ore docks, and freighters, and snow, and snow, and snow, but leave some room for new loves too.
And thanks for the beach glass!
I love this. I have been missing the lake lately too. What a fun surprise in the mail.
ReplyDeleteHey Krista! It was a really fun surprise! I have all mine in a jar with a couple bamboo plants, but I want to keep hers separate, so I'll have to think of something special to do with it. :) Enjoying all your stories and pictures from Alaska!
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