Bald Eagles

The water was so calm it barely made a sound beneath our canoes. We stared up at a huge nest in the tree, fascinated by the majestic presence of the bald eagle. The eagle graciously sat still while we took pictures. I looked around at the other islands, thinking they would be fun for exploring later in the week. Gazing across the water, I spotted our cabin, just to the left of the blue pontoon boat, which was almost too far away to be visible. That cabin, our canoes, and our family was all that mattered. The rest of the world was miles away.

Coming home from vacation feels a lot like falling out of the sky. Back to reality. Back to demands and responsibilities and traffic and chaos. We all felt it, stuck beneath the George Washington Bridge in New York City, with the windows open because we had no air conditioner in the car and the heat on to prevent it from overheating. It had to be at least 100 degrees outside with the sun beating down on us. Tempers were short, patience wearing thin. The kids didn't complain during the trip, but I could tell reality was settling in on them when they started asking to have friends sleep over before we even got home.

For five glorious days we lived in the most perfect place we could imagine this side of heaven. Five days of enjoying the kind of carefree summer fun that adults always wish they could get back. We paddled around in canoes, went fishing, swam in the lake and the river, made campfires, roasted marshmallows, and simply enjoyed being together.

We saw animals everywhere: several families of ducks, a family of grouse, several loons, bald eagles, kingfishers, a racoon, a beaver, deer... my husband caught a garter snake and a pickerel frog to show to the kids, and to let me take pictures.

Our cabin was right on the lake. At night we could hear the loons as we sat by the campfire. We could hear the water lapping at the bank. We did not hear traffic, neighbors arguing, doors slamming, or dogs barking. As we sat there one evening, watching the fire, I said to my husband, "I wish I could bottle up the way I feel right now and take it home with me to use every time I get stressed out."

Being away in that outdoor wonderland really helped me to focus on what is really important. My family was there and we didn't need anything else. It was so much easier to see that without the distractions of everyday life. It felt like we were soaring, weightless. Like eagles.

I'm doing everything I can to bottle that feeling I had by the campfire. I took more than enough pictures to drive my kids crazy. I am writing down my memories and thoughts about the vacation. It's the best I can do to preserve that amazing moment in time when the world stood still and let us breathe.