How a Cabin Getaway Helped a Family Heal

A generational retreat becomes a place of healing

My grandparents have owned a cabin in Pequot Lakes, Minn., for over 40 years. I grew up going to the cabin with them, making memories, such as fishing with my Snoopy pole, enjoying campfire s’mores, eating dinner on their pontoon boat, having scavenger hunts in the woods, taking adventure walks, going for Jeep rides, playing on the swing set, spotting loons and watching eagles! See also Social Butterfly at the Cabin Unfortunately, 12 years ago, my grandfather passed away unexpectedly at the age of 65. The cabin, the 5-acre property and the 1,000 feet of shoreline became too much for my grandma to maintain, and it was too emotional for the rest of the family to use the cabin. So it sat, unused until last Labor Day weekend (2016). My husband, Michael, had just lost five of his family members to a horrific car accident, and we were looking for a place of quiet and solitude to heal together as a family. We stumbled upon my memories of the cabin, and I finally felt ready to go back and show my husband what a peaceful retreat the cabin could be for our family. We hardly missed a weekend last fall, bringing our two golden retrievers, my parents, grandma and friends back up to the cabin. See also A Cozy Northwoods Retreat in Minnesota We are in the process of restoring the property and cabin in a way that honors my grandpa and allows our family to create many new memories together. What an unexpected gift this cabin has been in our life!