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Sunday 22 September 2013

Gone fishing



I didn't know if it was the beer, the blazing sun, or a combination of the two, but I suddenly felt sleepy out on the river bank. It was nice to be away from the city for a few days, and for the first time in ages, I felt my mind soften around the edges.
As I finished the last of my drink, my friend turned to ask if I fancied doing a spot of fishing...A smile crept across my face as I found myself out on the deck of their narrow boat. After a quick lesson in the basics, my friend hopped back onto solid ground...and there I stood, alone in my thoughts, looking out across the river. The peacefulness of that moment was beautiful!
It didn't last long!
I watched the lure fly gracefully out across the water to land with a gentle splash once again...Then I felt my line pull...hard. The rod began to bend, and for a moment, I wondered if I had managed to get it caught again on some weed at the bottom. Within a few seconds, to my absolute horror, I pulled the line out of the water and found myself staring at a thrashing 25lb pike!
With that, I screamed, my friends came running, and passers-by stopped to see what was causing such a commotion. And so the battle to release the giant began...
The mere sight of its razor-sharp teeth coming towards me was enough to have me climbing up the railing away from it.
After what seemed like an age of twisting and struggling, I watched my friend bend down to place him back into the water from whence he came. He was finally home. Safe. Free.
Then as I looked down through the ripples, laughing with relief, I realised something: In life, there will always be challenges. Things happen unexpectedly to take us on a different journey. Sometimes we find ourselves in an unimagined future where we don't always get what we want...but occasionally, get just what we need.
And that night, as I looked out of the car window into the starry sky, I couldn't help but smile. This would forever be the day that I wrestled with a river monster, and won!

8 comments:

  1. You are so very right Jeff. Life is full of challenges and we have to be strong and work our way through them. Great post.

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    1. Hi Beth! Thanks so much. All these things make us stronger. :-)

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  2. Congratulations on your battle with that nasty ferocious river monster. Thank goodness he was set free, or you'll be forever haunted by his friends every time you go near a river - ok well maybe not, but..

    I've often thought fishing was more and excuse to sit and contemplate life, the universe and everything without other people thinking your lazy and crazy!

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    1. Hehe, Jason, it was like Godzilla my friend... And any excuse to sit still for a while is cool with me.

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  3. Mike the Pike I remember him well, a funny end to a perfect day. xxx

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    1. 'Twas a most perfect day! One I certainly will never forget xxx

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  4. I love the mental/moral/emotional connections you make. (And you even made fishing sound pleasant...)

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    1. Hey my friend, thank you so much! And who knew that fishing could be so dramatic!

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