First Things First....

Most people can look to the past and recognize their life to the present time through a series of memories, punctuated naturally by the most profound. Interestingly enough, not all of these memories are good; in fact I challenge you to consider memories that register in your mind from your own past and think about what makes you retain certain moments of joy or frustration or disappointment or happiness while you forget others – and think further about how these memories in turn have shaped your perception of these emotions.

I think you’ll find the trip interesting: getting lost in supermarkets, first dates, the “high stakes” emotions of a YMCA basketball game or soccer game or little league game, “vacation bible school” and the irony associated with that title, first days of middle school/high school, the day the schoolyard bully put you in his crosshairs, the first day of Army basic training (those that have been there can certainly relate to this one!), etc., etc.

These are obviously random examples, but my point is this: certain memories lend themselves to the development of certain emotions in life, and the vast majority of these memories are entered only in the mind. The truly fortunate are able to find a visual depiction of something in their life that had a profound impact on them, and in this case I happen to reside among the lucky.

Bridgette and I took our boys and traveled to Idaho Falls for Thanksgiving to spend it with my parents, and while we were there I took a few small boxes of my things from my old room. Among them I rediscovered this photo that I had completely forgotten about (although the memory was not lost): This is a photo of the very first fish that I ever caught on a fly rod!! This modestly-sized wild brown trout from the Big Horn in Montana was released unharmed, yet he unknowingly forever changed my perception of angling, and introduced me to an activity that I am still now beginning to fully appreciate.

The incredibly eclectic outfit notwithstanding, (thankfully my dad had extra stuff), I can look back on this trip as a profound moment in my life. This trip was punctuated by both the memory of some great success on a fly rod, and also by a harsh reminder of the danger of the activity as I would slip and fall in the river the day after this photo was taken, marking an early quitting time for the rest of the group and earning a few scoffs in the process.

Incompetence on the river aside, my Dad still included me on this trip even though I had two older, stronger brothers who would have probably been able to better handle to cold temperatures and fast moving water. This is something that I will never forget, especially as I raise two sons of my own and attempt to pass down to them a lifestyle that, from the moment of this photo above, has slowly shaped the person that I am today.

I can say without hesitation that I will know the true meaning of happiness if I can get two more photos just like this one in the next decade.

Cheers