This Happiness

Sometimes in order to make it happen, you have to go out of your way to put yourself in the moment. The opportunity cost of fishing during prime time often means sacrificing relationships, work, and more to be on the water when you know it will be good. There are other times, where you just need a break from the day to day grind of life and the water provides the necessary inner calm you need to find your peace. There is also an aspect where fishing creates camaraderie amongst friends and bonding time with family. Most of the time, the moments are remembered best when shared with other like minded people. I think all of these descriptions applied on a particular day this spring when I decided to call out because the conditions were right. I just needed to get out there before prime time had passed. However, I needed a dance partner and couldn't find one. So, I called my Dad. Never one to turn me down, he didn't hesitate to say yes. We came from two different directions, each driving 2+ hours, to meet in the cold damp dark on a boat ramp. The expectation on my end was to be on the oars for most of the day in order to show my Dad a good time and get him into some fish. When we pushed off, he refused to fish. This left me in a peculiar position...in the bow of the boat for an entire float. It was memorable...