Miscou Island cont'd…

"But what is the draw of Miscou? So it's an edge of the world. There are many such edges, the earth being round and all."

Every time we've visited Miscou, some has felt the need to make some kind of improvised shrine out of beach debris.

It's a place where you can breathe, where you're conscious of breathing and how enjoyable it can be. The rhythm of the surf washes things away the way I thought confession was supposed to. When I emerge and am walking across the parking lot back to our car my perspective has always changed for the real, I see things clearer. I see myself clearer. I see Elaine clearer and she is more dear to me which tells me how things have to change in our lives, that we can't go on working in two different cities. I guess those kind of realizations are what you'd expect to get from a sacred place.

But what is the draw of Miscou? So it's an edge of the world. There are many such edges, the earth being round and all. They stick out into the ocean and many have limited real estate appeal. We had thought of buying a cottage there until we visited in September. I was in nearby Lameque in March one year and it was like far north tundra. But in July it is the temperature we're happiest and most carefree in, but July is nice everywhere around here. Why go to Miscou?

There might be history there, but I don't know any of it. I know something of Wilson's Point on the other side of the island where about 13 families live. A Scotsman was the first European to settle there and it might be interesting, but when we were there we thought only of getting to the lighthouse. "All right, that's enough," Elaine said after 15 minutes. Wilson's Point was her idea.

It could be the lighthouse, which is kind of odd when you think that a lighthouse's value is in warning you to stay away. It's a wonderful structure, though, a true lighthouse and on past visits I've wished we could live nearby. Living in the lighthouse has never been a fantasy, but there is a at least one cottage nearby that would have been a great retreat. It was even for sale once but we passed because not only had we visited in September after the weather had turned cold, we didn't have enough money to spend on a cottage we could visit once, maybe, twice a year, unless, of course, we became more independently employed.

The pilgrimage this year was on a warm, overcast day. Regardless, Miscou was what we needed it to be.

In fact, I don't think I would want to live there at all. It's important not to. It could be a retreat, the kind where you have to go someplace like Shippagan for "supplies" periodically, but living there would be an ordeal, especially once the snow began to fly and I've had enough of that kind of living and don't get me started.

Even worse, though, living there would likely destroy what it is to us: a pilgrimage. It's value to us is in getting there, breathing for a while, feeling the waves, looking at the distant vista that is Gaspé and the Gulf and leaving. Leaving is as important as getting there. Enlightenment, no matter how profound, is diddling if you don't bring it back to the real world and use it. The enlightenment I got this year? That more than anything there is a person I would like to drive around with, write with, work with and explore with. I've had this before but it's taken a year of long separations for it to actually make sense enough to make real.

To the lighthouse

Getting to Miscou is a relief. The drive isn't easy. You have to really want to get there. But then, at the end, I see the very tall, massive, octagonal shaped, red and white lighthouse.. Read more Lighthouse...