Have you ever experienced that mystical 'indian summer' meets Friday night lights meets s'mores on a camping trip meets ocean breeze meets countryside farmhouse meets Little Women? Not many of us have. Lummi Island, one of the San Juan Islands in Washington state, is pure magic.
Visiting this island feels like a living in a cocoon for the most tired parts of your soul, as you enter a place where roads don't reach the entire stretch of the island, many people bike instead of drive, and every single person stops what they're doing to wave to you as you go by. There are no gas stations, approximately two restaurants and a mini-mart. I don't think I saw even a single traffic light.
The only way to get there is by a short 5-minute-long ferry ride.
The island has a vibrant community of artists, nature-lovers, fishermen, gardeners and individuals who seem to love a slow, yet meaningful, life.
There is a sense of community here amongst the small number of people who choose the island life year-round. You get the sense that people here are truly nurturing their joys and hobbies. There are many hand-built produce and flower stands at the ends of driveways, all with payment on the honor system.
Every nook and cranny is quaint. Every home and yard has character and tribute to life on the island. Life just feels well thought out and meaningful here. Things here are 'on purpose'. Filled with choice and intention.
On purpose.
What are some of the things you do on purpose? The ones that give you tremendous peace or joy.
The things you might do in secret, just the way you like doing them with no one watching, with no one to boss you around, tell you how to do it, or make you feel weird for doing it your way.
The things that come to mind for me are spending hours staging photo shoots with friends with no spared detail, prop or accessory; having an elaborate tea party with the finest china on any old Tuesday; watching my guilty-pleasure, nostalgic tv shows with a chunk of chocolate; watching honey bees pollinate flowers in the garden; making the perfect cup of coffee; or drawing the most fancy bubble bath I can imagine.
The moments that I look back on most fondly, or stop, and notice in the moment a feeling of gratitude, are the ones where I lost track of time while I was tending to the details of a project. Investing my time in something that might not necessarily be useful, but meaningful to me nonetheless. On purpose.
I noticed that on Lummi Island, it seemed that many of its inhabitants are artists and most homes and yards are intentionally decorated, landscaped, and incredibly welcoming. Some people have luxurious, fancy places here, but even more people have HOMES here.
I think we all know what it feels like to find 'home' in an unexpected place.
Because of this, purpose and intentionality might gift us delight through the possessions we choose to keep, sometimes antiques or heirlooms, but they don't need to be.
They could just be some items from small local shops that really make us happy. Maybe homemade ornaments, gifted items, candlesticks, dried flowers from my best friend's wedding, a small rock collection with rocks from my travels, pinecones saved from the mountain-tops of my toughest hikes, my favorite sitting chair, a simple tea set from a garage sale, art prints from a small art gallery on the coast. I am sure you have your own list.
These possessions hold our most treasured stories. They are infused with our emotions. Reminders of joyful moments. Who wouldn’t want to have these all around their homes?
To some, the slow island life on Lummi Island may sound like a recipe for boredom. But for others, it’s a complete dream. And in my opinion, its magic is so potent that it has stayed with me long after leaving the island.
What if we put away our phones, turned off the smart TVs, and powered down our computers? What would we do on purpose when left with just our own ideas (and not the ideas of Instagram, Tik Tok or Facebook)?
What can be even more of a stretch to imagine is, what would your life look like after several months or years of making choices 'on purpose' each day? What would these choices add up to be? What would your home look like? Your yard? Your relationships? What would you create with your time?
September 2022.
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