When I graduated from high school many moons ago, I couldn’t wait to get out of my small mid-Michigan town. Before heading off to college that fall, however, I had a different sort of adventure. Three of my good girlfriends and I wheedled and pleaded and got permission from our parents to make the trek up to Mackinac Island *gasp* without parental supervision the weekend right after graduation. I guess they figured that we’d all be unsupervised at college soon enough, plus all four of us had shiny new cell phones, so we’d be able to stay in touch, and we were only going for a long weekend, but still, it felt like a really big deal at the time.
We piled into one of the gal’s cars, and headed north. There was a lot of compromise when it came to picking the soundtrack for our road trip, and even more when it was time to stop and eat, but it was exciting. We were stepping into the unknown without adult supervision, and for the first time, we started to feel a little bit like adults.
I remember that weekend in flashes of flavor and freedom; the taste of the famed fudge, the scent of the rain soaked island as we cycled around, the relative security of being four girls on an island that didn’t allow cars. It was misty for much of our trip, and the island, although shrouded in fog and colder than we’d expected, was magical. Looking back, I recognize the pull of Maiden energy that permeated that weekend; we were free, we were surrounded by natural beauty, and no one would tell us if it wasn’t a good idea to have another piece of fudge, or when to go to bed, or how silly we should or shouldn’t be.
In the years that have passed, I’ve learned that some of the Native American legends of Mackinac name it as a place of the Goddess. One story I’ve found tells of Spirit Woman, dwelling in the sky, who was pulled down to earth and sat on the back of a giant turtle. She built the island on the turtle’s back, using mud from the deep waters surrounding her, and there’s definitely a primal, sacred, feminine energy all over the island. Other stories speak of the island being the first land formed following the great flood, and still others attribute the creation of the island to the animals. All these legends hint at the island’s deep connection with primal power and the non-human world. While I was there that summer, I felt freer than I ever had, and more connected with the natural beauty surrounding me than I’d felt before. It’s no wonder, considering that the bulk of the island is preserved as a national park.
There’s a sense of timelessness about the island that expands beyond the Grand Hotel, the setting for the achingly beautiful movie Somewhere in Time. From the bicycle paths to the horse drawn carriages, the fudge to the flora and fauna, Mackinac Island is a place of great power, and it’s easy to connect with Maiden energy on this magical island.