I went fishing the other day. I took Marlan and Gary with me as they are two very good fishing buddies, and it was the least I could do. We fished the trout pit south of McCune and had a blast. Now by blast I mean we caught fish, of course but more than that we connected again as friends.

Now don’t go getting all girly and mushy on me, just hear me out. This work, work, work lifestyle we all lead can wear on a person from time to time and because of that once in a while we need some camaraderie and good old fashion fun to recharge our batteries. This was just such a trip.

We hunted the Trout, literally. We stalked them and threw to them during their swirling surface dances with their fins out of the water while eating who knows what, these fish were far off shore, thirty to forty yards and it took a quarter ounce spoon to reach them but when we did they came a running, so to speak.

Three grown men whooping and hollering like kids, laughing and telling stories, if you can imagine that and all the while the sun dipping low in the west. This meant our time together would soon come to an end but we ignored it and fished on. Off in the distance we could hear a deer snorting at whatever spooked it, and then a few turkeys gobbled. A few minutes later the owls began their chorus of spooky nighttime tunes followed by the coyotes howling to tell the world they were alive and well and on the prowl. And we continued to catch trout.

I looked off to the west as the clouds cleared and witnessed a brilliant reddish orange orb sinking into the horizon and noticed it’s reflection off the water , still so bright it turned my friend Gary into a mere shadow just a few feet away.

In thinking back on our trip we began by decided to just go fishing but I think down deep we all knew we were looking forward to a great time with friends, the kind of trip one tells their kids about. Well we had just such a trip and it came via something as simple as the opening of one’s eyes and ears to the sights and sounds of Gods nature, given to us to enjoy and relish and talk about.

I thought about going back tonight but I really didn’t think I could improve on that memory so I just stayed home. Sometimes I wonder if stopping to smell the roses and relive the good times we’ve had with family and friends is enough and concluded it is…but not always since, of course we have to take those trips and make those memories first in order to relive them.

I dearly love those times spent with friends and family where we agree this was the best trip ever. But I thank God for the ability to remember them years down the road and relive that smile on a long past father or mothers face or try to once again hear a child’s voice quiver with excitement at the marvel of doing something special for the first time. I hope I live a long while.