Five Lessons from Adventures in Fly Fishing!

If you know me at all you know that I LOVE to fly fish.  It is one of my favorite things to do especially when we are in the mountains.  There is so much that I adore about it that I started keeping a list.  And then from that list came Five Life Lessons from Adventures in Fly Fishing.  Here you go!
 
1.  Peace & Quiet – There is nothing like the serenity that I feel when I am on a river with a rod in my hand.  Most times there is no one else around.  The calm of the current, the vibrations from nature and the hush that is inevitable becomes hypnotic.  I find myself being almost interrupted when I do eventually catch a fish.  My mind is still and I am only in the present moment of being in the act of just fishing.  I ground down with my entire body into the strength of the earth and I wait. With our busy 24/7 lives we have very little time if any to be quiet.  Yet, I find the silence so necessary.  If I can’t quiet my mind then how can I possibly hope to be inspired or be in tune to God?  How can I possibly think clearly and in reality if my mind is not still? I find this stillness in fly fishing.  How can you find it in your life?
 
2.  No Attachment to the Outcome – My success in fly fishing applies to my success in life when I learn the lesson of not being attached to the outcome.  Not being attached to expectations.  My day on the river is not dependent on how many fish I catch.  I have had days where I didn’t catch a thing but a knotted up line and a bunch of sticks and algae.  It still was an amazing day.  How can I not be attached to the expectations in life?  How can I put forth the positive energy, the work, and the intentions without being completely dependent that things go my way?  When we can give up the reward, the prize the accolades or even the way we think things should go, we open up the energy for things to continue on the path of exactly how they should be. 
 
3. I Cast with Grace! – This took a bit of time and instruction.  I began fly fishing with force, push and striving.  I landed my hook in trees, Matt’s sweatshirt, my own sweatshirt, the guides finger and other odd places because I could not let go of my need to muscle the cast.  I was determined to cast long and far to catch Mr. Fish (still attached to the prize).  Finally after much sweating and quite a sore elbow and wrist, I began to learn the grace of the cast.  The float, the hover, the whisp, the flight, the release of force and the coming into letting the rod and line do the work.  How much of our life are we pushing, forcing, making happen at all costs?  How much are we muscling our way through so that we get exactly what we want at exactly the time we want it?  Is this working?  I know that all things in my past that I have pushed and made happen regardless if it felt right, have ended up in disaster and catastrophe.  I can look at some of my big decisions that have gone miserably wrong and know that it was because of my own manipulation.  Isn’t it time to let go and let GOD do His thing? Who better to design our life then Him?
 
4. Get a Guide – With the current level of ability that Matt and I have for fly fishing, we would never for a moment think about going about it without our trusty fly fishing guide.  We have had several and they truly are good at what they do.  They know the river, the current, the fish, what the fish are currently eating, they best type of fly, the easiest way to untangle a line, when to get the girl with blue lips out of the water to warm up a bit, and all things pertaining to the art of fly fishing.  They are masterful and Matt and I have truly begun friendships because of spending the day with our guide.  I know that currently without a doubt I cannot do fly fishing alone.  I also know that without a doubt I cannot do life alone.  I need God.  I truly need God in everything, every moment, and in every circumstance.  I just can’t do it by myself.  It doesn’t work when I try.  Some fly fishing adventures that have been incredibly successful Matt and I start to get BIG with our egos and think that we could do it ourselves.  Then something always happens to remind us that we have really no idea what we are doing and to go it alone would be disastrous.  To go it alone without God in my life would be disastrous.  Are you trying to go it alone?  Get back in touch with God and see how things miraculously take shape, become peaceful and purposeful. 
 
5. Toss it Right Back into the River – One of my favorite things about fly fishing is after the photo op very gently putting the fish back into the water and watching it slowly swim away. Putting things back to exactly how they should be.  We leave the river empty handed every time yet the experience was rich.  We have nothing to show for our day except a few pictures and a load of memories.  There is no memento, or purchase or coveted prize.  It’s just a day filled with nothing but fishing.  There is nothing to buy or acquire but a fishing license and our guide.  How much is your life filled with acquiring, purchasing, conquering, filling up with more and more stuff.  How often do you put things back?  How much do you need?  Our most exhilarating day has nothing to do with what we gain other than our experience.  The time that Matt and I get to enjoy something together.  The talk for days about, “Did you see the spots on that one?” Or “How big do you think that guy was?”  Or “Remember when you hooked the guide?”  Fill your life with the experiences that matter.  The times of filling up the soul, rejuvenating the mind, and the quieting of the worldly pulls.  Reconnect with yourself, those you love and most importantly God.   Live your best life ever!
 
With Gratitude,
Kim
 
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