My Grandpa always said, “Surround yourself with the ones who have good hearts. Together, you’ll soar.“
And that’s what I did, everyday. I have been blessed ever since. Soaring? Well, now that’s a funny thing. If you don’t slow down and really experience what soaring feels like—and it’s so easy not to—then it’s a memory in a flash, a memory you wish you’d savored more, a memory you’d give anything to feel again.
Grandpas teach you to slow down, and take another look—closer, and from all sides. They just get it, don’t they?
The thing about good hearts, though I never realized it, a good heart isn’t just a feeling. It’s a place.
Have you ever gone somewhere, and felt like it was the closest you’ve ever come to truly feeling like you were home?
This is Good Hart.
On the shore of Lake Michigan, right smack in the middle of the Tunnel of Trees is the magical town of Good Hart. I was pretty lucky to grow up in Northen Michigan but it wasn’t until just last Spring that I really knew or understood Good Hart.
Coming home from Spring Break I was texting back and forth with my friend, Anne, about getting a summer house up Northern Michigan. I stumble upon this gem that sits prettily a top of a hill surrounded by 40acres of wooded rolling hills. She’d been sitting entry fir 5-6 years.
I text Anne the address and DVD responds “No way! We go up there every summer, 1/4 mile down the road is where my family summers. ”
How funny is that? We’re driving through Alabama, I’m googling homes and I end up finding one right by the girl in the car behind me. Not even knowing!
I hope you all fall in love with Good Hart as much as we have. Both the collection and the town, if you ever get the chance to pass through.
We’ve only had the place in Good Hart less than a year. And in that short time it’s been filled with the girls of MJC, tons of family and friends, our MJC Team Leaders and just about anyone that will venture up with us.
And every single one of them leaves with their head a little clearer, heart a little fuller and a huge smile. It does that to you. It makes you stop, put the phone down and sleep in. The days are for great conversations, exploring the woods or building puzzles.
Ahhhh I could go on and on.
Here’s to a beautiful collection, an amazing team and the wonderful customers who share the love of keeping little girls little as long as we can.
Squeeze ’em right, share a story, hold their hand and remind them it all starts with a good heart!
I love posts like this. My hometown is also the inspiration for alot of my photography work. I grew up in an old beach town on the gulf coast. There are alot of 1950’s and 60’s art deco buildings there.
I had the pleasure to meet you at last year’s Art Fair which was my first as I was one of the last people leaving and we talked about being from Michigan and now living here in FW. I grew up about 30 min from Ann Arbor and often vacationed at Mackinac with my family. My grandparents had a farm house in Gaylord up north.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful collection. I have been a little homesick lately even after being here for 2 years, and have loved sharing MJ with my 2.5 year old daughter. This collection is like giving her a little piece of our other home.
Hi Denise, Sam, David and all of the MJC team – I have to say I love this collection. Not only, because I was born and raised in Michigan, but because I spend a ton of time up north and in this area. What really touched my heart were the names of some of the pieces. The “Ryba leggings” hold a special place in my heart for Mackinac Island! We know the family who runs this business and I worked at Ryba’s for a few summers while in college….so they were a win-win for me. Kudos to you. 🙂
Michigan ROCKS! I was born and raised in Michigan, as far north as you can get, the BEAUTIFUL Sault! I can’t imagine living anywhere else. The collection is spectacular, and I smile when I read off the names of the pieces, I recognize the references behind a lot of them. Keep up the wonderful work!
Love your blog today so much it made me cry thinking of my Pop Pop and my Pa Paw. Both of them had good hearts.
I love everything about it! The colors, fabrics, the idea behind it. . .Thank you for sharing a piece of your heart through the collection!
Best post ever. So proud of you and all of your girls for consistently doing what’s “good” and right. So proud to call you a friend. A dear one at that. Love you.