It was another majestic morning on Grand Lake as I walked down stairs into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. The birds were singing at an extra high level, the squirrels and chipmunks were running around with great joy, and the mist coming off the lake was so thick you could not see the water. The rising sun shinning through the mist created unique streams of light that swirled about as the subtle wind moved the mist. It really was enough to take one’s breath away.
I headed outside, lit a fire in the fire pit on the banks of the lake, and took in the beauty and wonder of the morning. The fire was starting to roar and the cup of freshly brewed coffee tasted especially good. With the thick mist and my attention on nature I did not even notice that there were fishing boats trolling along the banks of the lake. As the mist began to lift, it unveiled almost seven bass fishing boats in the hollow and fishermen fishing their hearts out.
At first I was saddened by the shear number of fishermen in the hollow taking away from the magic moment of nature awakening. There clearly was a fishing tournament taking place and my hollow was a target to catch the big one. The fishermen on Grand Lake and I have a tenuous relationship to say the least. Between the trash that is left behind in the water and banks of the lake, many fishermen’s disrespect for nature, and the noise created by their boats, a few “rotten apples” have really tarnished my perspective.
With this in mind I decided to take some of my own medicine and move into a What Box? way of thinking and being about my uninvited guests in the hollow. I thought about what a privilege it is to be able to awaken to the morning on Grand Lake, and I sat down to observe what all the excitement of fishing on the lake was all about.
“I don’t like that man. I must get to know him better.” Abraham Lincoln
Having grown up fly-fishing for trout in California and Oregon, I at least had some level of understanding about the level of excitement generated by a fish taking hook.
As I sat by the warm fire sipping my coffee I, became aware that I had never noticed the wisdom of fishermen, that of having patience. I mean a lot of patience. All the boats moved slowly along the shore as the fishermen were casting and casting and casting and casting their lines as they were looking for the big one to bite. In some cases they would sit in one spot for extended periods working a spot in hopes of landing their imagined fish.
This got me thinking about what a different world it would be if these same people applied the level of patience and persistence to their lives as they do when they are fishing. Every single one of the fishermen was in a state of ultimate patience and seemed to be very peaceful as they fished away the morning. When one boat would leave, another two or three would take their place bringing fishermen who joined those already fishing the hollow, settling into the same attitude of patience and peacefulness as the fishermen who were already there.
“This would be a fine world if all the men showed as much patience all the time as they do while they’re waiting for fish to bite.” Vaughan Monroe
What I realized is that these fishermen were focused on what they could do to improve their chances of catching the big one and not necessarily on the outcome. They were interested in improving their cast, observing the way their bait was moving in the water, and learning from what worked and what did not work in the pursuit of catching a fish. Their patience during this process of discovery was amazing to observe and something we can all learn from.
In real life we seem to forget that patience is a key to success in life. We are impatient about almost everything today. In our instant gratification lifestyle things cannot get done or be done for us fast enough. We set unrealistic self-imposed timetables on our lives that only work to increase our impatience and frustrations.
“Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.” John Quincy Adams
Things were not always this way. In a time when we had to hunt for our food, we needed to use our instincts of observation, curiosity, attention to detail, and unrelenting patience if we were not to go hungry. These were the characteristics of humans in the early days. Today we appear to have lost the ability to be patient. If this is true, how can we reclaim this important skill?
Maybe, just maybe, the bass fishermen of Grand Lake have touched onto a way to reclaim the art of patience. The question is will they be able retain this patience as they lift their boats out of the water and carry on with their lives? What a different world this would be if we could have the patience of the fishermen that I have observed.
Fishermen wisdom, their interest and patience in learning to improve their skills to become the best fishermen they can be, has something to teach us. What kind of activity can you do that would inspire more patience in your life?
“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Let me know what you think.
Until next week, remember the only boxes that exist are the ones you create for yourself.