Ted and I were fortunate to take a mini vacation to Mackinac Island, Michigan. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Mackinac Island, it is a lovely little island on Lake Huron, between upper and lower Michigan, just east of the great Mackinac Bridge. Click here if you want to know more about Mackinac Island.

There is much history on Mackinac Island including American Indians, the fur trade, and war history surrounding Fort Mackinac. Mackinac Island has evolved into a wonderful tourist destination with much to see and do. Starting in the late 1800’s, people came to realize that they could escape the hot, congested city in the romantic and peaceful summer place of Mackinac Island.

As we toured and ate and walked and experienced our little island getaway, I realized how everything was a feast for the senses! There is so much to SEE! The Grand Hotel is stunning. Arch Rock is magnificent. And all of the relics of the Fort, as well as the beauty of the flowers everywhere and the various blues of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan were a joy to behold.

There were 2 obvious and prominent SMELLS. By the 1920’s, fudge became Mackinac Island’s number one sweet souvenir. There are fudge shops everywhere and they make sure you can smell it! Ted and I bought and ate our fair share, I think. The other SMELL – horse poop! Cars were banned from the island around 1900 and they use horses to pull everything – tourists and luggage and food supplies and – everything.

TASTE? Of course – we tasted a lot of fudge, but we were delighted by several wonderful meals. And TOUCH or FEEL? I could feel the cool May weather that kept my jacket zipped and me a little shivery. Thankfully, the warm sun burned through the clouds and its’ warmth on my face and back were more than welcome!

But now for the sense of HEARING. That’s an interesting one. Remember, there are no cars or motor vehicles on the island. Click here for a lovely example of all the clomping of the horses on Mackinac Island. There is the sound of the wind in the trees, the chatter of tourists, and the waves of the shore.

I found that I could HEAR all of the sounds better if I closed my eyes… and LISTENED. I think we miss out on a lot when we stay focused on, literally, what we see before us without indulging our sense of hearing. When I closed my eyes and really listened, I could hear so many birds. I could hear the wind rustle the leaves of plants and trees around me. I heard horse hooves clomp-clomp-clomping everywhere. I think we are so over-stimulated by what we SEE that we fail to hear the sounds around us. I mean, you might be aware of the noise around you, but somehow we tune that out. Other senses take over and we don’t satiate our sense of hearing.

It’s only logical that I talk briefly of the fact that we can ALL be better listeners. When words are not heard in an argument, conflict can increase until more communication and understanding are worked out. And how many times have we not followed instructions because we did not listen very well in the first place when directions were given. If you are verbally slapped with an “I told you so!” then you probably weren’t listening!

Think of the days before television. Everyone gathered ’round the radio to listen to the news, to stories read, and to music. Before radio, people had to listen to people! My guess is – we were once upon a time, better listeners!

It made me think. Why do we so often bow our heads and CLOSE OUR EYES when we pray? I think it is so we can close off the incoming visual smorgasbord around us and concentrate. In our desire to speak with God, we have to turn off the scene around us and focus on what we want to say, and what God wants us to HEAR.

Proverbs 2:1-5 My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

I’m going to try to listen more – to nature and to the people around me. I think we have neglected our wonderful sense of hearing. I want to hear the sounds of birds and of the wind. I want to hear and know what the grandchildren really say and mean. And I want to be attentive when God has something to say to me.

Do you hear what I’m saying?

just Laurel