The Enchanted Island
Perserving the wild and the mysterious
“Sealed off from enchantment, the modern buffered self is also sealed off from significance, left to ruminate in a stew of its own ennui.”— James K.A. Smith
While walking through the trails of Mackinaw Island this past week, I was struck by the curious happening before me of thousands of people making the seasonal summer pilgrimage to the small Island in Lake Huron. Millions of people worldwide make a trip to this Island each summer.
Why?
What does it offer?
The answer is enchantment. While only a temporary fix to fight off the disenchanted drudgery of the modern world, it is a town that purposefully retains its period architecture and history with utmost pride and natural beauty. The vast majority of the Island is left wild. The only means of transportation during the summer is by bicycle or horse. No vehicles allowed. When one arrives on the Island, you are immediately enveloped by the experience of traveling back in time as horses and carriages fill the streets; everyone is outside having picnics on the gorgeous green grassy lawns and enjoying strolls down quaint little streets. Flowers overflow from every white picket-fenced yard throughout the town. Old churches (the jewels of the village) welcome visitors to explore their history but are also still in operation, so one must respect their service times. One catholic church established by the French has been in operation for 300 years, which is ancient for the United States. It was wonderful reading about the history everywhere on display throughout the Island.
While traveling into the woods of the Island, my four-year-old son and I climbed a wooden staircase to see a natural arch. The staircase to heaven was more strenuous than expected, and from the reaction of others trudging up the steps, I wasn’t the only one with this opinion. However, I found myself time and time again wondering with surprise that so many people (including my son) would continually hike up the steps daily to see this arch and all the other natural sites on the trails.
For a society that holds their couch and Netflix in high esteem, why would this place be so popular?
The top of the staircase revealed the reason: enchantment. Everyone swarms the guard railing as they try to get as close as possible to experience the geologic wonder. Squeezing through the crowds, my son and I too, made it as close as we could to let our senses drink in the beauty of the site. We were surrounded by so many strangers yet held community for a moment, sharing a common goal of enjoying the natural wonder around us high above the island. Enchantment brought us all joyfully together despite the physical and financial cost of getting there. We took turns helping one another capture the moment with their families and encouraging each other on the success of the rest of their trip.
The people of Mackinaw Island have held onto something most of America has neglected: the need for enchantment. The Island could have cars, but they don’t. They could develop more of the Island, but they don’t. Why? They would lose the enchantment of the Island, and then there would be nothing.
“There is a widespread sense of loss here, if not always of God, then at least of meaning.”― Charles Taylor, A Secular Age
People have a never-ending need for enchantment. A need for the untouched wild places of the world. A need for Jesus Christ and all of his mystery. We need not try to pacify all the places of the world, and we need not try to explain away and rationalize everything about God. Embrace the mystery at times and live in that. Your soul needs enchantment too.
I created this blog to exercise the ideas that have haunted my mind. This blog will discuss and contemplate story, imagination, formation, Christian education, icons, symbols, pictures, and poetry. Journey with me as we delve into the deep cavernous thoughts of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, Malcolm Guite, James K.A. Smith, N.T. Wright, Charles Taylor, and The Holy Scriptures. If you are interested in or hate this content, join the conversation, as I will blog about these subjects and authors every Sunday.