From the Preface

In midmost of the stream, embraced in the weir’s shimmering arm-spread, a small island lay anchored, fringed close with willow and silver birch and alder. Reserved, shy, but full of significance, it hid whatever it might hold behind a veil, keeping it till the hour should come, and, with the hour, those who were called and chosen.

– Kenneth Grahame 
”The Piper at the Gates of Dawn”
The Wind in the Willows

Deep in the heart of a vernal island surrounded by a hidden cove on the waters of Northern Pond lies a place I call mishkan ha-yaar - a sacred dwelling in the woods. Mishkan is a Hebrew word translated commonly as ‘tabernacle’, but the word is rooted in the verb to dwell. It is very likely that you have encountered such ‘dwellings’ in your own journeys through life, especially those that have taken you into nature. These are places where life’s wonder and its connectedness to a larger universe are more palpable, more present, more clear. They are places where your heart and soul feel free, energized, renewed, and at peace. 

This mishkan is one where I spent many days of joyful solitude, surrounded by giant pines, colorful maples, and white barked birch. Great bald eagles nest on the high canopies across its cove. Deer, fox, wild turkeys, and porcupines play hide and seek in its dense woods. Once upon a winter we even spied bear footprints criss-crossing the snows of the island, and we followed them bravely (or foolishly!) more than a mile away across the lake’s frozen cap . 

It was in this place where I dreamt to put my hands to the task of building a cabin of our own. I dreamt of a small home where we could live simply, where we would have moments of solitude as well as moments shared with special friends and dearest family. I dreamt of a place to be with nature, to watch the sun go down over the western shores, to track the silver streak of moonlight rise and fall over black waters, and to gaze at the kaleidoscope of bright starry nights in the dark and clear winter skies. 

In reality, what I wanted to accomplish was logistically impractical. I knew nothing of carpentry or construction. I had no inkling about how I would get my materials to this remote location, or whether any of my nearby neighbors would help us (a couple of new transplants from ‘away’). And yet, without knowing what would lie ahead, I was fueled with the inspiration of a dream and the possibility that arises from a place of knowing too little, of dwelling in naivete.  

Now four years into the journey, I look back with a growing appreciation for what I learned along the way. The process has been at once the most rewarding and most challenging undertaking of my life. It has been a journey of transformation and of personal growth. The creative process of bringing a dream into reality has in effect been a journey of building community and friendships, of learning new skills, of developing habits, of overcoming fears, and of living with uncertainty. It has been a journey of commuting deeply with nature, of finding peace in solitude, and of renewing vigor and joy by learning to adapt in harmony with the rhythm of the seasons. It has been a journey of learning to ask for help, of relinquishing control, and of surrender. 

From these experiences, a new dream has been born: to share the stories with kindred spirits and explore the lessons that make the pursuit of our dreams so rewarding. As with all meaningful pursuits, the journey matters more than the destination, and within each journey, it is the people that we meet along the way that make it all worthwhile. Many of the stories I share were born from encounters with some truly amazing people in our community. In many ways, these stories are my own words of gratitude and love sent back to each of them. 

Yet amongst all those we meet on our paths, we are particularly blessed to encounter our own true selves. I hope to tell these tales with candor and honesty, even as they reveal many of my own difficulties, follies, and shortcomings. Some introspections may be quite personal, yet one of my dearest teachers has taught me that in the most personal lies the most universal. 

If you find some aspects of your own life’s challenges, dreams, or aspirations reflected in these stories, then I hope that they provide inspiration for your own journeys.  In any case, I am delighted to welcome you into the wondrous world of our Northern Pond. It is a great place to journey through and to visit. Stay with us for a while. I am delighted to have you here within these pages as our guest.