It is hard to imagine a better birthday than the one I experienced this year as I turned 62. I have amazing memories of growing up in Minnesota, and most of the scenes I cherish, center around the beauty and power of mother nature.

I can easily trace my appreciation of nature to my dad; he never missed an opportunity while hiking or fishing to point things out that he observed. And even if he couldn’t always explain the science, I sensed his joy of being in the moment with whatever phenomenon was taking place around him.

Today, I am married to my best friend, who understands me because of life events I have shared with her from my past.

This year, my wife, Pam, surprised me with a planned week-long trip into my past. She wanted to see the places I talk about, where I experienced inspiration, awe, and beauty in my youth. Her thoughtfulness in planning the trip touched my heart and reminded me about the power of encouragement within relationships.

Flying into Duluth, I was delighted to see plenty of snow-cover. And after picking up our rental, and driving north up the shore toward Grand Marais, the snow continued to gain depth. It occurred to me then that I had never visited the North Shore in the winter, and the snow, birch and evergreens set against the shimmering blue waters provided striking scenery along highway 61.

 Lake Superior has always been magical to me, its size, mystery, and ruggedness beyond my ability to describe adequately with words. Pam, never having visited any of the Great Lakes, was astonished by Superiors’ size and ever-changing moods. The second night in Grand Marais, I woke early to large snowflakes filling the air with the picturesque harbor and Coast Guard station as the backdrop.   

After two days on the shore, we drove west to Detroit Lakes and explored the area of my childhood vacations. Each summer, our family rented a small cabin for two weeks of fishing and outdoor fun.

From Detroit Lakes, we made our way down to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis, St. Paul, where I grew up. There, we stayed in an Airbnb just a few blocks from my family home near Lake Harriet. On March 5, my actual birthday, we met up with some of my brothers and sisters who still live in the area for a celebration dinner.

The trip was a whirlwind tour where we drove over 1000 miles crisscrossing the state. Pam, a perfect traveling companion, enthusiastically listened to my stories of the places we visited, arranged a look inside my childhood home, toured old mansions, organized my birthday dinner, and provided expert navigation throughout our travels.

I feel fortunate to have made the trip before the Pandemic took hold. I love the people of the Midwest, their eternal optimism that spring might come early, or that the past winter wasn’t that bad. And as Pam said on several occasions during our adventure, “these are your people.”