A lesson in enjoying the great outdoors
A lesson in enjoying the great outdoors
My first fishing experience took place Thursday evening at Banks Lake.
After a day at the office, my husband Grant and I got a quick bite to eat at a burger joint, headed home to change and then off to snag the big one.
But I didn't even catch one fish. Not even a bite!
For the hour or so we were out, I was sure the fish were just teasing us as they would jump out of the water.
Some of them would come closer to shore only to peak their mouths up just above the surface and then disappear.
As I was becoming somewhat impatient with our lack of luck, Grant turns to me and says, "You have to put your dues in and then you start catching fish."
I thought I had put in my dues.
Didn't we pay more than $300 in fishing licenses and gear?
That, however, was not the type of dues he was referring to.
He meant having patience. Patience? For a fish?
So I continued to recast, sat down in one of the lawn chairs we brought and attempted to be patient.
As the sun began to set and the air cooled with the approach of nightfall, I admit I was feeling slightly downcast at the lack of luck we were having.
I have since begun to consider my first fishing experience in a different light, however.
In the midst of being in a serene location with family, outdoors where you can smell the fresh spring air and watch the sun set, I was thinking how silly it was to be upset about not catching any fish.
I had almost allowed all of my focus to be on what I didn't have at the moment rather than enjoying the great parts about the experience.
After fishing trip number two this weekend and still no fish, I have not determined yet if fishing is an activity I enjoy or not.
Then again, with the right attitude I'm sure most any activity could be found enjoyable.
That was a lesson I learned that first evening on the lake.
The right attitude makes all the difference in how we approach life and I hope I am reminded of it often, especially when issues come up as they tend to do in life, and I may forget what is really important to me.
I think Grant too was getting somewhat impatient on that lake, wondering if we were ever going to catch anything.
I am sure he caught on to my slight agitation as well.
But what did I really have to be agitated about?
After all, he is the catch of a lifetime.
Aimee Seim is the Columbia Basin Herald's education and health reporter.
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