FISHING HOLE, WHERE’S MY POLE?

For a good while, a lifelong friend and I have talked about the fun of fishing and how, with our busy lives, will we find time to stop what we are doing, grab a pole and sink a hook. This morning, I woke up and thought about how we continue to talk about the goal of going fishing and letting the world go by us. This re-visiting of this dream or goal caused me to give it a different direction. Let’s take and fling our fishing pole to how we make goals in our lives and have to keep re-visiting them.

First, allow me to take us down to the fishing hole and see exactly how we go about catching a fish (or achieving our goal in life). Before we take off to go to our favorite spot, we have to prepare, right? We can’t go without bait (or our talents or tools). What good would it do to only take part of what we need? So let’s make a list of what we should gather, find, learn about, get good at using the essential tools like our pole or rod and reel.

Our Fishing Supplies as compared to Our Life Supplies:

1. A Bucket or Cooler to collect our fish (or in life, results) We should be able to evaluate our progress by counting our fish or what we have gathered to say we have accomplished what we sat out to do.
2. Bait of your choice. I use this analogy as your choice of direction for your goal(s). Bait does entice the intended catch but making sure the hook properly loaded is as important. Education, research, experience, interactions with mentors, teachers, business associates, and even outside sources is essential to life goals. How many of us asked the ones who have the reputation of being the fisherman who catches the most fish every time he or she goes? Information is the best bait in life.
3. Location is an important factor to the person. Finding the right spot. I will share a personal memory of my Mom who had rather fish than eat. When we got to the fishing hole, she walked around observing and watching the water for movement or bubbles. She didn’t really talk but watched intently. Once she “scouted” the water, she sat down with her pole and her supply of bait. All of us novices would try this spot or that spot, constantly moving up and down the bank looking for the illusive catch while Mom sat patiently in the same spot. She would begin to pull one in but didn’t move from that spot after she had re-baited her hook. Another one, another one, and all of the while, us walking behind her and trying to catch one. Yes, we would catch some doing it this haphazard method, but at the end of the day, Mom would outdo us. With a smile on her face, and a lot less running, she would have a contended look on her face. This leads me to believe, we have to commit to whatever goal we choose and be willing to stay “put” until it comes to full rendition.
4. Depth is another factor to consider. How many of you have gone fishing in a pond or deep, dark hole? Could you visibly look for depth? As most of us who have fished a lot, know you find the depth if you want to catch the cooler water fish or do you want to catch the top feeders? I use this as a measure of who we associate with as we move through life.There are people in our lives who are top feeders who grab what they can from us, eat everything in sight, and swim away quickly. Also there are the bottom feeders who skim along the bottom and you may not see their true intentions right away and once you get them in your life or on your hook, they are so hard to get them loose. I say all of this to say, those who come into your life may be a quick catch or one that you cannot figure out. Maybe find the right depth for finding the catch that matches your taste and leave the bottom feeders and the top flighty ones to swim another day without you.

I find fishing relaxing but I realize there is work to this fun event and that brings me to my final thought on this subject: Nothing is free even though we see catching a fish without having to pay for it at the fish market as a freebie. It is never free; bait costs; equipment costs; and getting to and from the fishing hole of life costs. Learn to appreciate what it takes to catch a fish or in reality of life, to find success. LIVE LIFE; LOVE LIFE; AND LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST by grabbing your talents( and get ready to catch the success of life.

(C) Copyright Arline Miller of Sipping Cups of Inspiration with all rights and privileges reserved. Third party material is sourced if known to original location for credit reference.