a lesson from dad

something i think is worth reading, if you have a few extra minutes. my dad is by far my biggest role model in life. he has this amazing attitude--and i swear i have never met somebody like him in that if the world is absolutely kicking his ass -- he manages a smile and you'd never know.
this year on their fishing trip, something my dad adores more than life itself and i wouldn't hesitiate to call it his favorite week of the year--things got a little competitive this year though between my brother, my cousin, and my cousin's husband. things are always competitive to these three i guess, because they're around the same age and all pretty masculine in personality... but it really got my dad down.

so here's my dad's cute attempt at raising the spirit's after this year's overly competitive fishing trip.

“Sometimes the best laid plans of men oft go awry.” That thought was running through my brain as I set the hooks into a muskie and instantly realized that my drag was not set. “You idiot,” I thought. After all the planning, all the preparation, a years worth of playing this moment over in my head the opportunity was gone. Everything suddenly focused on this frozen moment in time.

Preparation for this trip starts with the end of the last trip. Dates and locations are established, food and provision lists are reviewed and corrected, the cost of everything from gas to license fees is noted. Careful preparation is key to help ensure a successful trip. Many events whose outcome could spell trouble or worse are prepared for; We can prepare for these. Spare batteries provide extra power for a flashlight , a radio, or a depth finder. A satellite phone provides emergency communication. Duct tape, well, duct tape serves a plethora of applications. Again, some unexpected events are controllable.

Other events like weather, lake levels, and weed growth are uncontrollable. We still talk about them but there’s little we can do about them. We pretty much just play with the cards we are dealt when it comes to these matters. Certainly with all the chatter that takes place the other fifty-one weeks of the year, it’s hard to believe that any stone is left unturned. Some things, inevitably, get left by the wayside.

It occurred to me that not one of these events, controllable or uncontrollable, has ever really ruined a fishing trip. Oh sure, each has caused problems, ,but the trip goes on and it’s always fun.

A high school teacher of mine frequently repeated this quotation, “Time is what is happening while you are waiting for something to happen.” When you think about it, if a fisherman makes 500 casts a day, and catches thirty fish, would that mean that 470 casts are wasted? Does that mean that you didn’t have fun making those casts? What was going on while fishing? Maybe you enjoyed the beauty of the north woods, joked with your partner, saw a moose, or maybe you even talked about what a great time you were having. Time? Did I say time? Make the most out of every cast, every moment. It’s not just about catching fish—it’s about how you spend your time. And how did you spend your time? Counting fish? Or maybe counting blessings?

Oh, by the way, I missed that muskie but there were other fish, other moments, lots of laughs and good times. Carpe Diem, gentlemen, Carpe Diem. "