In wrapping up the introductory series, today it is my turn to ask the question that a parent gets to answer countless times every single day.
“Why?”
After the long and winding road of who, what, when, where and how, here we are at the big question.
Perhaps you are also pondering this question.
And, hopefully it’s “Why do I fish, hunt, trap, hike, camp, etc…?” rather than “Why am I still reading this stuff?”
I guess the basic answer for me is that nurture made an appreciation of the outdoors second nature. For that I am grateful to my mentors, primarily my dad and one of my uncles. Their guidance, attention and instruction built a solid foundation for a guy who somehow finds 50 on the horizon with his own collection of charges in his sphere of outdoors influence.
Such a change of perspective also helps to answer another variation of the “Why” question as in “Why do I write?”
Well, I guess reminiscing is a big part of my passion for this hobby as I hesitate to think of how many times I’ve sat around with family and friends recalling classic tales of success and stupidity. It’s good stuff when they still bring a smile, a laugh or a shake of the head. Many times the tales begin with someone mentioning, “I saw this story the other day and I got to thinking about that time when we…”
And the rest is history, literally and figuratively. Here’s hoping that I can be blamed for starting a few such conversations. Such is much (I like weird sounding phrases like that) of the appeal for me in what the English language has collectively labeled “fish stories.”
On a personal level I’d also like to think that someday these stories might mean something to my kids. Perhaps they’ll one day take a look at what was going on during these days that will fade from memory as other more recent events take their place. Maybe they’ll find amusement in an “ancient” family adventure or discover a bit of why they turned out however they will turn out as some of this stuff is about more than roasting marshmallows, hooking bass or trapping coons.
Along the way I’ve also come to realize that it’s not always the biggest fish that makes for the best fish story. Instead, I truly enjoy passing on some of the details that would otherwise be lost over time. For me, in the grand scheme of things, it’s more about quality time than the quality or quantity of the catch no matter flying solo or playing fishing guide for a bunch of kids. Some of the silliness or lighthearted aspects of the trips go a long way towards providing a further escape from life’s daily challenges. As an adult with a wife, a family and the accompanying grown up responsibilities there’s always plenty of seriousness and an outdoor getaway sure helps to put it on the back burner for a while.
So, there’s my shot at an answer to the final, and perhaps, ultimate question. It’s also the toughest one to nail down as I’m sure fellow outdoor enthusiasts can attest. I like to write, but some stuff just can’t be sufficiently conveyed no matter how much goes down on the page.
Maybe I would have been better off simply referencing the quote, “I fish, therefore I am” as offered up by either Descartes or Dance, or was it Plato or Parker, then again maybe it was Voltaire or VanDam. Better yet, perhaps I could have saved myself six hundred and twenty six words by getting even more philosophical and simply typing, “Why not?”
But what fun is that?
Talk to you later. Troy
