My rod is packed

All I need are some t-shirts, underwear, shorts, sandals, waders (water may be cold), fly box and my trusty ol’ reel. I’ve been eagerly awaiting our family weekend to Texas' finest, Garner State Park, for months, and finally it has arrived. We leave tomorrow.

Fly fishing has become a beloved pastime for me, a New-Years resolution come true. I’m no gadabout. I knew going in I was in it for the long-haul. And so it has come to be. From knot and fly tying to entomology and instructor certification, I've had an eventful first quarter in pursuit of becoming a fly angler.

Casting, shooting line, just like clock-work, ten o’clock…two o’clock…straight yellow line lands gently on the surface of the water, ready to be stripped in with the subtlest of movements and the acutest attention...

Well...not every time, but if you fly fish, you know what I’m talking about.

This three-month, cold-turkey trek hasn't only been an exercise in the art of fly fishing; it's been a journey in life management, not to mention time management.

Crisp, quiet, morning moments, listening to God, cool air fills my lungs. In a setting created for fatherhood, I stand by my girl and my boy, teaching them the simple life, the life of a fisherman. Or so I try.

It’s no wonder why Our Lord chose the same setting at times to instruct us in the things of heaven...For people like me.

Assimilating another tradition, another heritage, a patrimony to pass on, is a challenge, a joy. As I think back on this new experience, this new life, Mark Twain’s wisdom comes to mind…

Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the things you did. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Let's see what I catch this weekend. I hope it's more than a cold...and I hope to have pictures posted next week.