Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; but while I drink I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. Its thin current slides away, but eternity remains. – Henry David Thoreau Being on a fishing boat in the Long Island Sound, connected to the grand Atlantic Ocean, listening to the soothing sound of the water and the rustling of the soft wind, we are gently swept far away from life’s stress, responsibilities, and burdens. Not only does fishing help us to lead a healthier, happier, more connected, and stress-free life, but it also teaches us various life lessons which tend to have an extremely positive impact on us, our lives, and those we care about most.
Patience
“Patience attracts happiness; it brings near that which is far.” While fishing, there are times when you have to patiently wait for the fish to get enticed to your line. You may not want to sit around and execute a Plan B but being a little patient has often produced catches that are remembered forever. Similarly, patience is essential to daily life and is an important key to a healthy lifestyle. Being able to wait calmly in the face of frustration or adversity might prove to be beneficial in the future.Time to take action
“The path to success is to take massive, determined actions.” When your current action is not bearing fruit, you must think and move towards better fishing opportunities. Try looking out for a better water temperature, changing your bait, or just moving on to a different spot. In life, too, once you decide to move on to the next place, be confident and go ahead in that direction with your heart and mind brimming with the highest of hopes. “Fishing in a place is a meditation on the rhythm of a tide, a season, the arc of a year, and the seasons of life.”Family and Friends Spending Quality Time Together
“A happy family is but an earlier heaven.” – George Bernard Shaw Fishing is fun when you are with friends and family and making new acquaintances while enjoying a rewarding activity such as fishing. Working as a team and agreeing on your responsibilities can lead to a fun, productive, and stress-free trip. Someone may be assigned to run the boat, help with launching and docking, preparing the bait, netting the fish, monitoring the weather, or cleaning the day’s catch, and all this, when done together as a team, not only creates social bonding but the activity becomes all the more fruitful. The same way unity, teamwork and human connection with those care about most has a very positive impact on our lives as well.Success is never guaranteed
“You always pass failure on your way to success.” When you go fishing, you may always be confident that you will catch fish, but sometimes things don’t work out as planned. The best of plans may go awry even if you thought them the best. Learn from these “opportunities” and contemplate what you learned. Similarly in life, there is no such thing as failure, there is only feedback which can lead you to more success because what we do with that feedback will ensure our ultimate success.Nature Itself is a Great Teacher
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Albert Einstein Humans have known for millennia that nature, the sea, any body of water, forests, mountains, and even deserts can be places of great wisdom, healing, and renewal. Just getting outside, breathing in the fresh air, and looking up to the sky alone can be all we need to feel better, connected, and alive. As Einstein says in his above quote, getting into nature has now been proven by science many times over that it is extremely healthy for our bodies, our minds, and, yes, even our souls.
