As many of you know I'm deployed, and despite the daily absence from all things familiar and comfortable, the thought of fishing hasn't been one of those. In fact, it wasn't till I got a message from my friend David Constant about how to improve his hook up ratio during a topwater trout bite, that I haven't thought about pursuing my favorite quarry. Instead, what has occupied my mind is how to navigate each day by overcoming the extreme heat and brutal winds to steer my team to success and fostering my relationship with my loving wife and kids back home in Texas. Skype and technology certainly helps with one, but unfortunately, there is no solution to sweating through two sets of uniforms and sand from ending up everywhere to include your eyes, ears, hair, room etc... However, despite these unfavorable conditions, my family and Airman have displayed incredible resiliency, and have embraced every challenge head on, and for that I'm appreciative. So, other than a public status update, how does this relate to a fishing blog? It doesn't. Instead it has everything to do with Life and how we live it. In the last two months, I've come to a stark realization, that the pursuit of what we do to acheive a certain goal is way more important than actually acheiving it. If your like me, you're a perfectionist, and this endless pursuit of perfection drives us through our days and shapes our decisions. My caution is don't overlook those who have helped along the way, or the intracies of the moment when your pursuit is fulfilled. There is an old saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and despite being true, I'd ask you to think about why its was so fond in the first place. As I often do, I'll use my dad as an example. Everytime we would go fishing he'd back the boat off plane and pull out his camera and take a picture of the sun coming over the horizon. Even though he knew it would annoy me because I was ready to get set up on our trout spot, he'd remind me that this was the best part of his day. Maybe it wasn't because it was beautiful and breathtaking, but a reminder that despite how the day shaped out, whether we caught em or not, he was where he wanted to be...in a boat, in the Louisiana delta, with his son. So in the hustle and bustle of life, take a minute to reflect on the subtle details rather than the result.
I hope everyone is good back in the states, and I wish you bent rods and ice chests filled to the brim. Just don't forget the subtleties and its the pursuit of perfection, not perfection itself, that helps shape our life.
Save me a few for when I get back. Tight lines and God Bless!
Chris
