Morning Coffee Clouds 

Rocks line the shoreline as the waves gently rock back and forth against them. She puts on a pot of coffee while the rest of the world sleeps. The coffee maker has seen better days and was limping to the finish line for every single cup. One cup, two cup, cigarette. Repeat. A simple low threat routine made for some of the most peaceful mornings. Without it, the mornings became chaos that was outside of her control, so why start her morning any other way? 

Pier of Peace 

He sat patiently on the edge of the pier. Admiring the beauty of the moons light on top of the open water. Peace amongst the madness. For a brief moment of time, he is free. Free from the burdens that humans face daily, free from the hustle and lights. His grandpa always told him to make your own peace, even if it is brief. The pier was his peace and his grandpa was right. It’s easy to become lost and distracted. When he is lost for too long, it becomes extremely difficult to find his way back. He was all too familiar with trying to find his way back to peace. But the pier had made that journey less difficult over the years. When the drives to the pier became frequent, he knew it was time to get lost again.

Results and Reflections

If you dig deep enough, eventually you will meet resistance. Resistance that is bad to the bone. Resistance that makes it feel impossible to keep digging. It’s a crucial point where the road forks and lays out two paths for you to choose from. Keep going or stop digging. If you keep going, times can be tough. But if you stop, it becomes difficult to start again. Neither option is right or wrong, but rather a split second choice that can be challenging to accept. Continuing to dig will yield results, but stopping will provide a moment of reflection. Never forget that you can always start digging again, but starting where you left off could be a tall order to fulfill. The shovel is always around and eager to start digging again when the rain clouds run dry.  

The Lake Superior Secret

Her beauty is memorizing. Her waves intertwined into a vast connection that move seamlessly towards the land. She provides for those that are graced with her presence. She is home to all walks of life, and ships that were caught in her grand storms. Don’t mistake her beauty as a weakness because she is unforgiving at times. She will be there on the worst of days and on those sunny beach days. She demands respect but loves gently. She has been the backdrop of breathtaking pictures and her beaches have been the landscape of so many wonderful memories. Her chill can be felt in your bones, but her love can be felt in your soul.