INTO A NEW WORLD


There is nothing so exciting or as exhilarating as climbing aboard a plane that will take you somewhere far, far away. The thrills of experiencing a foreign culture, different sights and sounds and a new language. As the plane climbs higher into the sky, your thoughts jump from one thing to another: What famous landmark or natural wonder shall I see first? What are the people like? Will I meet someone special? You look out the window at the clouds passing by beneath you, and your mind starts to drift.... and then suddenly the captain's voice pierces the still air, announcing that the plane will be landing soon. Time has passed so fast, indeed you have barely fallen asleep! Your heart thumps with excitement at hearing this and you grip the sides of your seat tenaciously as the plane begins to descend. As you look out the window, you notice white-capped mountains rising majestically in the north and the plane's reflection as it passes over a crystal clear blue lake. The blood -red sun is a giant fireball as it sets in the west. You are somewhere beautiful, somewhere wonderful, and the problems you are facing at home are put on hold... at least for awhile. You may experience some different hardships here, but these thoughts are driven to the back of your mind, as you step off the plane, into the airport, and into a new world. So many people of various backgrounds milling around here, each has a story of their own, maybe some of them have one just like yours. As you pick up your luggage and head out the doors, one thought is dominant in your mind: It is time to enjoy myself and my surroundings, to relax and unwind, and look forward to the great adventure that awaits me.        

                                         TERROR IN THE NIGHT


A roaring sound pierces the silence. You can hear it in your head, and with it, an instantaneous numbness spreads like wildfire through your body. The roaring increases, gets louder. You try to fight it, try to break free... but the paralysis has you in its grip, and there is no escape. It's as if your body is encased in cement, it's as if you are dead and have no physical body. Though you cannot move, indeed you don't even know if you are breathing or not, your senses of vision and hearing still function. As you look around in the darkness, a rumbling sound erupts, everything around you begins to shake, as if the earth itself is moving. Fearing an earthquake you try to move, try to break the invisible binds that are holding you prisoner in this terrifying moment of sheer panic. You try to scream, but no sound escapes your lips, indeed your tongue is also paralyzed. Suddenly appearing from across the room and striding toward you is a demonic figure, or possibly a man but he has his teeth bared in a sinister smile, as if he knows you are helpless. He feels no need to hurry, he can take his time, knowing that you cannot fight. By this time your heart, if you can feel it beating, is slamming inside your chest with the force of a sledgehammer. You know you are done for, that this is it, that there is no hope. A sense of pure, unimaginable evil surrounds you as he approaches closer to the side of your bed. You have never known what evil feels like, have never sensed it before... yet now at this very moment you know for sure that this is what it is... and it is absolutely terrifying. You know you are going to have a heart attack and will die from the horror of it all, indeed dying at least would be an escape. You make one final, desperate effort to break free, try to move any part of your body. The crushing heaviness on your chest is agonizing. Finally your arm moves, there! It moved just a little, but at least it moved. Using what little strength you possess, you struggle to lift up your arm, it weighs a ton. Your body is still being strangled with the paralysis, and you feel it try to pull you back... no! You fight and fight it, and you finally break the spell. You were able to move just enough for the terrible paralysis to release you from its clutches. The rumbling and shaking stops, and the evil looking man disappears. As you lay in bed and look around your room, a lingering fear still grips you... but you are safe. This is sleep paralysis.

                          THE ABUNDANT WILDLIFE OF MICHIGAN


I have lived in Michigan all of my life, and for that reason it is home, and the numerous wildlife and the scenic Great Lakes are what I like most about this state. I reside in the small town of Whitehall, a town that was first settled by Swedish immigrants in the 1840's and is home to about 2,500 residents. Miles of untouched forest with towering white pines stretch across the landscape, and provide security and seclusion to the variety of wildlife that lives here. One of the most numerous and easily spotted, is the wild turkey, a large bird that travels in flocks with others of its kind. They are commonly spotted while driving down the forest lined roads here and even in my backyard. They are usually ground dwellers but can fly if they have to. One of my favorites and also very numerous is the whitetail deer, and in fact this animal is more common in Michigan than any other state in the country (the exception being Texas). Usually when you see a whitetail deer, it will be the females and their fawns, traveling in their herds. The males with their impressive antlers keep to themselves in the deeper part of the woods and emerge during mating season and firearm deer season. During this time of the year, it can be especially dangerous for those who exercise outside and for motorists because these normally cautious animals will run across the street or at you, without warning, in their attempts to find a mate and escape from hunters. Last November a friend and I were walking along a bike trail in the village of Lakeside in Muskegon. As we came around a corner, a huge male deer with large antlers charged around from the other side and came straight at us. I jumped out of the way on the narrow trail while my friend stepped in front of me to put himself between me and the deer. Terrified, the animal jumped off the trail into the lake, swam a short distance, then climbed out and continued running down the trail. A short distance from there, another person I know was almost trampled by a herd of 5 deer as they passed through the city, so you can see how dangerous they can be. However, they are beautiful and graceful animals and I remember driving with my family past some sand dunes one day and I happened to look at a large patch of grass that was up the dunes. Standing in the sunlight was a female deer and right at her side was a small fawn nursing. It truly was a beautiful sight! Two other animals that are my favorites are members of the dog family: the red fox and the coyote. Red Foxes are very common in the forests and even make their homes in the cities as well, and I remember traveling down a busy road in Muskegon (south of Whitehall), and seeing a handsome red fox crossing the heavily traveled road. Years ago I was jogging down a forest lined road in the predawn darkness, the only sound being my footfalls and the nocturnal sounds of the creatures in the woods that surround me. On the side of the road, I came upon a deer carcass and two red foxes feeding on it. As I came closer, the foxes fled, then came back to the deer after I passed. The same thing happened on the way back home. These animals are known for their beautiful, rich coats that are russet in color, with black ears and legs and a large bushy tail that ends in a white tip. I have never seen a coyote in the wild, but they are numerous here as well, and are at home in not only the forest, but in cities as well. They resemble wolves, but are smaller and more adaptable, and will eat whatever is available including garbage, dog food and small animals. Years ago while out walking with our dog, my dad noticed a coyote near the edge of a forest, but the animal did not seem to notice his presence. Some coyotes grow to be quite large and aggressive (due to crossbreeding with wolves), and have been known to attack large dogs, and there are stories of them going after pets that are being leash walked by their owners. Despite humans' attempts to wipe them out, the wily coyote continues to increase in numbers. Raccoons and opossums are also common, and are mostly nocturnal in nature. In fact if they are spotted during the day, there is a good chance they could be sick, and these two animals are known to carry rabies. They can be aggressive and may fight if cornered, so they should be given a wide berth. City or forest life suits them, and I once observed a hungry raccoon on top of my garbage bin, using its tiny paws to pry off the lid. I shouted at it from a distance trying to scare it off, but it just looked at me unafraid. Black bears, though not so numerous in the Lower Peninsula, exist here as well, and a few years ago I heard on the news and from friends on Facebook that a male black bear was spotted wandering into Lakeside, where I lived at the time. It was only a few blocks away, having swum across Muskegon Lake from North Muskegon, probably searching for a new territory. Later it was observed swimming back from whence it came. Camping is a favorite summer activity of many Michigan families, and while doing this it is important to store your food in a secure place. Black bears are tempted by human food and have been known to saunter into campsites looking for an easy meal, and do not seem to show as much fear as they should. Another favorite of mine is the cougar (also known as mountain lion or puma), and these big cats are more numerous far north, but have been spotted in Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon, as well as in other nearby areas. Large and powerful, they mainly hunt whitetail deer, but are secretive and solitary, rarely seen. The Upper Peninsula has even more untouched wilderness areas than the Lower, and as a consequence more wildlife as well. This area of Michigan has some of the same animals found in the state of Alaska including the moose, the world's largest deer species, the Canadian Lynx, a beautiful cat that is recognized by its large paws that act as snowshoes and tufted ears. Lynx feed almost exclusively on hare, and when the hare population decreases, so does the lynx population. Gray Wolves, one of my favorites thanks to Jack London's stories, are native to Michigan. Once found here in the Lower Peninsula, they are now living in the Upper, but are now starting to make their way back down as their numbers increase. Wolves hunt prey such as moose and deer, but sometimes will take livestock, which has not made them a big fan of ranchers. If you live in an area where wolves frequent, keep your pets on a leash and monitored at all times, as even a large dog is no match for a wolf, who tends to view dogs as prey or as a competitor to be vanquished. They have been hunted relentlessly throughout history, but today wolves are protected in Michigan (except during hunting season) with about 600 or more of the animals living in this state.